Crimson
by Urby
Summary: When an enigmatic monster plauges the gang, it seems to stop at nothing to cause them pain. When it finally reveals itself, it's not what anyone expects... Chapter 1 update!
1. I'll bet

What, what? Urby is re-writing Crimson?  
Yeh...I'm doing this series over. If you must know why, I'll have to say 'artistic evolution'. If this reason should not suit you, sah, I suggest you e-mail me. I don't bite, man. Okay, that's a lie.  
So, people who read this: **I HUMBLY SUGGEST YOU REVIEW. **If you already have for that chapter, do so _anonymously_, so you can make a certain I very happy. Tell me: am I improving on what you remember the old chapter was? Which version do you like better? (I hope it's the new one-afu.)  
**New readers**: Since I'm leaving the old chapters up until I finish their revamps, DON'T READ AHEAD. Doing so will spoil you/burn your brain/may be inaccurate due to changes I make.  
Mnyyyah, now that that's done - to zhe stor-ee!

* * *

"Morning."

"Morning..."

"Say, where's Lloyd?"

"A hundred gald says he's still in bed."

"Oh."

The guy in question was still sleeping very deeply in his tent, noshing lazily on the corner of his blanket. His only reaction to the shadow looming over him was to roll over and chew on his pillowcase instead.

"Lloyd..."

"Shmmmyummm...no hot sauce, please..."

"Lloyd!"

"MiammmyummColle..."

"Lloyd Irving! If you do not get out this minute - !"

No one would ever know what would happen if he didn't leave, because Raine dragged him out of his sleeping bag and _dropkicked_ him out of the tent. (Read the italics with _flair_!)

"Whoo!" Sheena remarked as the boy sailed over everyone's heads. "Look at 'im go!"

"A hundred gald says he stays in the air for more than five seconds!" Genis sniggered.

"Well, with some luck, he'll stay in the air. I'm eating his breakfast," the summoner reached for his plate.

"Don't you dare!" Lloyd leaped from the ground where he landed (after exactly five point two seconds of airtime) "You'll be sorry...'cuz I'll...I'll...don't eat it!"

"A hundred gald says that..."

"Would you stop it?"

"Mmmrph..."

So, as the group settled down to eat (or nibble, or gobble, or inhale) their food, everyone felt like it was the start of one of those long days.

Presea (who was one of the mid-nibble, mid-gobblers) looked up.

"Presea?" Genis squeaked around his fork.

She stood up from the rock she was sitting on, almost knocking her plate upside-down. (The horror!) "That!"

"That...what?"

"That noise," Presea backed up to the back of the camp where the weapons where stored. "There is an enemy presence close by."

As soon as the word 'by' faded, a band of monsters leaped in the camp, knocking over a few tents and all but yelling 'boo!'

As much as these were somewhat weak monsters, the band couldn't help but panic as they fled for their weapons, but found them being guarded/sat on/eaten by a few of the critters' pals.

Presea, the ever calm one (go Presea! Regal don't count today, he's missin' his boots) grabbed the nearest thing and jumped into the fray. However, because luck decided to be a beech that day, the 'nearest thing' was the bowl of stew they were eating, which the monsters seemed to _love_. In fact, they loved it so much, they mobbed her for it.

Fortunately (because fortune was being kinder than luck) Colette came to the rescue, throwing Pow Hammers and chakrams and yelling to scare all the baddies away. Am I using too many 'ands'?

"Are the monsters gone?" squeaked a shaking mound of small elven spellcaster who had hidden himself under his sister's bedrobe. So that was the suspicious wiggling!

"It seems so," Raine tried to kick the boy away from her legs. "Stop being so clingy!"

"Besides, your lady is in distress," Zelos bent over. (Whether it was to talk to Genis or look up the Professor's robe, we shall never know...)

"I am...alright," Presea wobbled to her feet, the pot of stew shoved squarely on her head. She span in a few circles while she tried to orient herself.

"In the unharmed sense?" Genis stepped up to tap the pot lightly. "I...I think I'd not be okay with a pot on my head..."

"Vision and hearing impaired...problems walking. I do not think this is 'okay'."

"Ah...! I'll...I'll get it off!" Genis scrambled to get the thing off her head.

After a bit of back-and-forth 'ow's, the cursed thing was free, and the only thing that gave away who it was on in the first place was the Cruxis Crystal that remained shiny despite the ordeal. The soup had turned Presea's hair a sort of orange-yellow, so hey! It could have been Colette! And Presea looked a bit ticked, which is a rather rare expression to see on that face!

"Is everyone else okay?" Raine dusted off her robe.

"Colette!" Lloyd shouted in a very not-indoors voice (which matters not since they are outside) taking the girl's hand. "Where's this from?"

"Don't...it's from now, I guess," Colette took her hand away. "It's fine, though."

"It may be 'fine' now, but we can't have you hurt. Besides, it could get infected," Raine shook her head. "Goodness! This is rather deep..."

"But it's nothing you can't fix, right?"

"Oh, you hush! I've mended bones, this is nothing," Raine waved a bit of healing energy over the wound, making it disappear.

"Feel better?" Lloyd asked.

"Yeah," Colette poked her arm, seeing it was fine.

"Nothing else?"

"Nope."

"Sure?"

"Yes, Lloyd. You can stop bothering me now."  
"You know, my little angel," Zelos leaned in, "if he's bothering you I can make him go away."  
"Lloyd, make Zelos go away!"

* * *

_Time has passed gozaru._

The wind played with Sheena's hair as she contemplated the bubbling pot in front of her. Funny how unappetizing starting ingredients could become something anyone would eat.

And currently the thing she was tending looked like something _no one_ would even put in their mouth.

Funny how much that could put a damper on one's day.

Sighing, she shook the little bottle of Red Satay over the pot. _Well, better than Raine, right?_

Unfortunately, (fortune's turn to be a beech) the absentminded, sort-of rough shake caused the entire bottle to dump a very-much-too-much amount into the stuff. The bubbling curry belched lazily, a fat bubble popping in her face.

Now her night was officially very, very bad.

Apparently, her gloom was visible, because Colette approached her friend worriedly.

"Sheena," the blonde began, "what's wrong?"

"Pfhhh," Sheena hit her knee listlessly. "Nothing's wrong. Considering I've just condemned everyone to death with this dish, I feel absolutely chipper."

Colette looked into the pot suspiciously, tensing when a bubble popped ominously. After blinking a few times, she took a spoon and sampled a bit of the death dish.

"I don't think it's too bad."

"Really?" Sheena looked up without moving her head.

"Not at all," Colette licked her lip, taking out plates. "I'll serve everyone, okay?"

"Thanks," Sheena shuffled around the utensil bag for spoons.

"Cheer up! At least we didn't get eaten by those monsters earlier today, right?"  
"Yeah..."  
"...Are you really alright?"

"Just...a little...you know...yeah."

"Ah..."

"You know."

"No, I don't."

"Ah..."

"Is it ready?" Genis peeked over the girls. "I'm starving," he lunged for a bowl before waiting for a response.

This seemed to round up the others, because they gathered around the campfire soon afterward for their share.

But the stuff turned out to be so hot they couldn't even touch it.

"A new weapon!" Genis held up a bowl with great flair, and then having to drop it and blow on his burning hand. Or he could have been acting. I don't know.

"Well _um_," Lloyd stared at his portion, poking it with a spoon. "Do...we have anything else?"

"Canned preservatives," Presea held up a jar.

"We can't eat jam, though."

"Yes we can!"

"It's not healthy."

"Are you saying this is?"

"..."

"Oh, I win!"

Colette placed her plate aside. "I'm done," she announced. "I'm going for a walk."

A few members mumbled 'see ya's, but Raine eventually got up to follow her.

* * *

"And what are you doing here?" Raine asked, finding Colette sitting on a hill.

"Professor!" the girl jumped. "I didn't think you'd come up here."

"Well," the older one knelt, "I'm supposed to be looking after you all, and you're not what I'd necessarily call 'alright' right now."

"R...really?" Colette blinked, tipping her head a little.

"You've been eating less, less often," the Professor played with a bit of her hair. "Are you lapsing into any form of Toxicosis now?"

"N...no," Colette shrunk down. "I feel fine."

Raine cast her a sideways glance. "Well, if you aren't...just say so."

"I will."

"Well, we should be getting back," Raine got up, shooing a few blades of grass that clung to her robe. "And...are those your chakrams with you?"

"Yes...you know, for the monsters?"

"I see..."

* * *

_Monkey Morning!_

"Hey Lloyd."

"Sssubatzzz...leevemealoooone..."

"Wake up, redboy! There's something you wanna see...!"

"Noooo...wanna sleep..."

"You're going to be a lot redder in a minute...!"

"Shmmymmm?"

"Fireball!"

"I'm up! Put it out! Ouch!"

* * *

"Morning."

"Morning..."

"Say, where's Lloyd?"

"It's hottt!" the guy screamed, streaking past. 'Streaking' due to lack of clothes. But worry not, no one saw anything special.

"Incoming!" Sheena threw a bucket of water on him.

Lloyd stood drenched for a moment before shaking himself (woof afu.) and grabbing Genis by the neck of his shirt.

"Alright, I'm awake. What do I want to see? Quick, before I kill you." he growled, steaming slightly.

"Your gal," Genis fussed with a button on his sleeve. "Is hurt. Badly."

"Colette!" Lloyd gasped, dropping Genis immediately.

Colette was sitting away from the normal hubbub of the group, heavily bandaged on her arms.

"Colette..."

She turned to face him, her eyes glistening in the tree-filtered sunlight. He knelt beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"What happened?"

"I don't know," Colette hung her head. "I remember being...it was...I don't know. I woke up with them."

'Does...does it hurt?"

"No, but they were bleeding a lot," she paled at the memory. "There was no sign of anything that did it. Lloyd, I'm scared..."

Lloyd pulled her close to him, running a hand through her hair reassuringly. "It's going to be alright."

"And you two!" Genis yelled in a sing-song voice, interrupting their moment, "need food! And I! Am too lazy! To give it to you! So you! Will have to get it!"

Lloyd huffed and glared at the little mage.

"And you. Are dead."

* * *

** AFUUUU!**

Is it just me, or is Presea out of character? D:

And um. Review. Please.


	2. Watch out for that tree

**Disclaimer:** I think you know that I own nothing by now, dood.  
  
"Genis! Come back here!"  
"Make me!"  
Colette sighed as she watched Lloyd chase Genis. How she wished to run with them.  
_But the __Chosen__ couldn't do that. The __Chosen__ had to be that person you could all rely on, and if she did something wrong, then that would be terrible...imagine! The __Chosen__, failing a test? If she can't do it, no one can! And if she doesn't do it, she's a selfish brat!_  
It was because of this that no one wanted to be her friend in Iselia but Lloyd and Genis, because they realized that sure, she might be the Chosen and all that jazz, but she was still a person.  
"Hey! What are you two doing?" Zelos asked Lloyd while eating his breakfast.  
"I'm...trying...to catch Genis...so I can kill him!"  
"Sounds like fun. I'll help you!" Zelos said cheerfully, tossing away his meal and running alongside Lloyd while Genis panted, "No fair!"  
_Well...if that idiot Chosen can do it, why can't I? Colette thought as she joined Lloyd. I can act un-Chosenly once in a while.  
_"Double no fair!" Genis cried, running up a tree out of desperation. He lay there, out of breath, while the others took a break, resting against the tree trunk.  
"This forest is nice and peaceful," Colette sighed.  
"Hey, is it just me, or do you hear a 'thuk thuk' sound?" Zelos remarked off-handedly.  
The tree visibly sagged. Thuk. Thuk.  
"Scatter!" Lloyd yelled as everyone ran away.  
"Lloyd?" Genis called. "what's up? Have you changed your mind about killing me?"  
Thuk. Thuk. Thukcrack. Thuksnap. Thuk.  
Genis wondered why the ground looked closer that before.  
"Wait a second..."  
Thukcracklecracklesnap  
_Oh. Dear. This will hurt a bit. I wonder if I can jump...no, I'm too high up, it'll hurt._  
Cracklesnapsnap  
_Pick! Be flattened by a tree, or jump!_  
Genis leaped and fell flat on the ground. He saw stars.  
And he saw the tree fall on him.  
_Oh, woe..._  
  
"Where's Genis?" Colette panted.  
"Still in the...tree...oh no," Lloyd gasped.  
"What tree?" Raine demanded.  
"Over there..." Lloyd whimpered, pointing.  
"Funny, that's where Presea went to go chop wood," Sheena remarked.  
  
Genis lay dazed. He saw things in shades of red. Branches were poking him in uncomfortable spots. He tried to move, but it brought new pain and more branches poking him.  
_Am I supposed to be freaking out, or am I supposed to be calm? Because I'm sorta calm now, and sorta not...dangit, I think I have some branches in my brain or something._  
Faintly, he could hear Raine calling for him.  
"Genis? Genis! Answer me, are you in there?"  
Genis tried to call back, but nothing came out. He sighed and tried to shift into a more comfortable position.  
"We'll get you out, Genis!" another voice...he couldn't tell who.  
Thuk. Thuk.  
Now, if anyone has been flattened by a tree after hearing 'thuk thuk', chances are you'll be afraid of what it will do to you next. Freaking, Genis scrambled away from the sound.  
_Must run...ouchies...maybe I should just let it get to me.  
_A squirrel, thinking his fingers to be a tasty treat, bit his thumb.  
_Ayeee, the monster's gotten me! I'm doomed!_ Genis squawked aloud. (Yes, he sounded like a bird.) The poor squirrel dashed away. Genis, getting an idea, followed the squirrel.  
_The squirrel must be scared by the monster too. I think I'll follow it for a while.  
_Thuk. Thuk.  
_It's going away from me. Score!  
_After what seemed to be an eternity, he saw sunlight. Crawling a bit more, he poked his head out of the branches. Genis sighed with relief.  
Cracklecracklesnap  
Down went the boy and the branch he was sitting on. The ground never looked so inviting.  
Or so hard.  
_Oh, woe times two..._  
  
Presea returned to camp, sullen. It was her fault, and she couldn't even find him...why did she go chop wood if she knew they'd leave that morning? Habit, perhaps?  
"Presea?" Colette asked. "are you alright?"  
Presea sighed, leaning on her ax. "I'm alright. Thank you for asking."  
Colette didn't look convinced, but she smiled and said, "If you're hungry, don't hesitate to ask."  
Presea nodded and looked into the fire. _Please, come back safely, Genis...  
_  
Genis woke. The stars were out and he was still where he had fallen. He got up slowly, trying not to hurt himself too much. He took a stick, concentrated briefly, and it was lit.  
_Where is everybody? It's really late...Is camp that way? Or this way? Dangit...I'm lost, hungry, and hurt, and it's all my fault. If I had just shut my mouth, Lloyd wouldn't have been mad at me, I wouldn't have been up the tree, and...ah, hell, it already happened. Can't be helped.  
_Behind him, he heard a growl.  
_Oh, woe times three.  
_(Whine?)  
"Noishe?" Genis croaked.  
(Bark bark!)  
"Noishe!" Genis game it a hug. "Where's everyone?"  
(Whine.) Noishe chewed on Genis's shirt and lay down. Genis climbed on.  
"Where are we going, Noishe?"  
(Shhh!) It was a snort, but Genis thought it sounded uncannily like a human "Shhh" for quiet.  
Noishe walked through the forest, taking great pains to be silent. Genis wondered why Noishe was being so careful.  
_What's that...it looks...like Colette?_  
She looked a bit like a ghost, walking aimlessly in a white nightgown. She wasn't tripping or anything, but something didn't seem right.  
"She's...sleepwalking..." Genis remarked.  
(Huff huff.)  
"Let's follow her, Noishe."  
(Whine.)  
They trailed her for a few minutes, but then they lost her.  
"Where did she go?" Genis asked to no one.  
(Woof woof.)  
"Can you find her scent or something?"  
(Sniff sniff...)  
Noishe sniffed around for a few minutes, following false trails and getting discouraged.  
(Sniff...sniff! Sniff, sniff? Bark bark)  
Noishe plodded in a random direction.  
_There's blood...on the trees.  
_(Whine!)  
"Colette!"  
She lay on the ground, chakrams in hand. Her nightgown was torn, and all around, there was the color of crimson...  
"Ge...nis..." she managed. "Get...away...from...m..."  
Noishe nudged her gently. (Whine?)  
"She's unconscious," Genis whispered. "Noishe, do you think you can carry her?"  
(Bark.)  
Genis dismounted and plopped Colette on Noishe's back.  
(Whine?)  
"I'll be okay, Noishe. Just lead us back to camp."  
  
"Lloyd."  
_..._  
"Lloyd!"  
_Maybe if I just sit here, she'll think I'm asleep and leave me alone..._  
"Pass me that bucket, Zelos..."  
_Wha...?_  
"Wake up!!!"  
"Waiii! It's cold!"  
Lloyd opened his eyes reluctantly to see Sheena holding a bucket over his head.  
"About time!" she growled.  
"Why do I have to wake up so early, anyway?" Lloyd whimpered, shivering.  
"Early? It's nearly noon!"  
"Exactly!"  
(Bark bark!)  
"Noishe!" Presea called.  
"Genis!" Raine shouted.  
"Colette?" Lloyd wondered.  
"What happened?" Raine demanded, shaking her brother.  
"Give me food and I'll tell you everything," he sighed.  
  
"Colette was attacked again?" Lloyd asked.  
"I guess so. She was trying to tell me something, but I can't remember what." Genis replied.  
(Whine...)  
"That's strange. Why would a monster attack Colette, of all people?" Lloyd fumed.  
"I don't know..." Genis sighed, looking at her. She had been healed and cared for, and now was lying on a simple mattress. She twitched and coughed every once in a while.  
"Well, if it is a monster, it certainly is a very strange one," Raine grumbled, looking through the Monster Book. "you see, monsters usually go for the neck, but she has no wounds there. Rather, she had one on the palm of her hand, another on her arm, and one near her forehead. Also, there's only one mark on each spot...as if the monster only had one claw."  
"On the palm of her hand?" Genis asked. "she was holding her chakrams. Unless she dropped them or something, there's no way a monster or anything could have gotten her there!"  
(Huff huff)  
Colette shivered and wheezed.  
"Will she be okay?" Lloyd wondered.  
"She just needs some time. She'll be fine."  
Genis, bored, went to go find a stick to burn or something. Talking about monsters and stuff wasn't really his thing. Leave that to Raine or whatnot.  
"Genis...?" Presea said hesitantly.  
"Pre...Presea!" Genis stammered.  
"I'm sorry..."  
"About what?"  
"The tree..."  
"Tree? Oh, yeah, the tree...wasn't that big a deal."  
"Really?"  
"I'm okay now. Don't worry about it."


	3. Misunderstanding

**Disclaimer thingy:** Lalalala! I own Namco! And I will...write fanfiction about it? Doods, I'm just a rabid fangirl that thinks Colette is 13371y 4w50m3, Zelos has floofy hair, that the half-elf siblings' hair and eye color are so purdyful (me wants, dood! I have boring brown eyes/hair) Presea's hair color totally does not match her personality, that Kratos's wings should glow in the dark (do they? I don't know) that I stop writing this because I'm prolly annoying my readers, Sheena should really comb her hair sometime, I'm talking about hair way too much, that Lloyd really r0xx0r5 y0ur b0xx0r5 if he has the paper fans, and Regal...um...I dunno. I own nothing but these opinions, this poorly written fanfic, and my jug of milk which I love oh so much. (best inspiration for me out there currently.) So, um, I'm not making any money off of this. You can't sue me, so ha.  
  
Lloyd sighed deeply. He thought this would hurt, but it really didn't. It was all very relaxing...  
Presea, dressed in a simple lavender robe, took another needle and poked it into his back. She stopped, deep in thought.  
In the real world, Presea was poking Lloyd, in random places, trying to wake him up. She sighed.  
"This is not working...I will need something more effective."  
"This is not working...I will need something more effective." the dream Presea said.  
She reached out for her ax, and lifted it over her head.  
_Gah!_ Lloyd jumped a few feet. _Just a dream, just a dream..._  
The real Presea was holding her ax, but not in a chopping position. Rather, she poked him with the butt end. "Will you be getting up soon?"  
"Yes! Just after I get my heart started again," Lloyd gasped.  
"You had a nightmare." it was not phrased as a question, but it was one.  
"Yeah...it was the weirdest dream about acupuncture..."  
"Lloyd! Colette's eating your breakfast!"  
Lloyd dashed out of the tent. "Mine!"  
Genis burst out laughing so hard he fell of the log he was sitting on and was rolling on the ground. "Hee hee...look...on your face...ha ha! I...can't believe...ha ha...you fell for it...!"  
"Where is Colette, anyway?" Lloyd fumed, restraining himself from choking the half-elf.  
"I'm right here," her voice called out from her tent.  
Lloyd entered. She was sitting up, that was good news.  
"Feeling better?" Lloyd asked.  
"A little. Lately I've been waking up with a really bitter taste in my mouth..."  
"I dunno, maybe it's medicine that Professor Sage is giving you."  
Colette coughed into a cloth. "Good, I thought...it might be that Raine's trying out freaky recipes on me during my sleep to see if it's healthy or not..."  
"She doesn't want to kill you, Colette!"  
Colette giggled. "I know, but I've been coughing up-" (here she coughed into the cloth again) "really random things. Like fish bones, even if I haven't been eating any meat, and a twig once. It scares me sometimes..."  
"A twig? When?"  
Colette choked on something. Lloyd, nervous, clapped her on the back. She spat out a small bell.  
"Hey! Has anyone seen Corrine's bell? I lost it!" Sheena called from outside.  
Colette stared at it. "How...did I...eat _this_?"  
"Have you two found my bell?" Sheena asked, poking her head in the tent.  
"Yes...it's right here," Colette answered, wiping it clean and handing it to her.  
"Thanks!" Sheena exclaimed, pocketing the bell. "I've been looking for this everywhere. Oh, and by the way, Presea and I were thinking about going to the Temple of Earth and killing the dragon a few times for some cash. You wanna come?"  
Lloyd looked at Colette. She shook her head. "Well...I think I'll stay here too," he said.  
"Okay," Sheena shrugged. "Don't get eaten by anything while we're gone."  
Raine shooed Lloyd out of the tent so she could check if Colette was alright. Genis was juggling flaming sticks out of boredom (and burning himself out of lack of skill) Zelos was practicing pickup lines on a tree, and Regal was nowhere to be seen.  
Lloyd decided to watch and criticize Genis. What else could he do, really?  
"Toss them higher."  
"I'm...trying...yeowch!"  
"Here, let me try."  
"Knock yourself out."  
"Let's see...hey, I'm doing okay!"  
Genis smiled evilly, lit another stick and tossed it at Lloyd.  
"Hey! No fair! Juggling three sticks is bad enough!"  
Zelos, getting the idea, lit a handful and threw them at Lloyd. "Catch!"  
Lloyd, not noticing them, failed to get them and they ended up burning his clothes. Squealing, he ran around in a tight circle until Genis cast Icicle on him.  
"That...was evil." Lloyd seethed.  
"Aww, come on, it's not like you're hurt or anything," Zelos said cheerfully, juggling all the sticks with no difficulty. "you guys are a bunch of wusses."  
Raine stumbled out of Colette's tent. Everyone present dropped what they were doing and ran over to her.  
"Sis...are you okay?" Genis fretted.  
"I'm fine...just drained. Colette suddenly had a violent fever and vomited. I tried my best to make her better, but nothing is working..."  
"You have a fever yourself, Professor." Lloyd worried, putting a hand on her forehead. "you're burning up."  
"Am I really? I..." Raine passed out.  
"To her tent, on the double!"  
  
"Genis?"  
"What?"  
"Standing watch over your sister isn't going to make her well again. If anything, you'll catch it."  
Genis sighed. Lloyd was right...but he didn't want to leave her alone. What if the monster attacked her or something! Or this, or that, or...  
_I still have sticks in my brain, I see._  
"You should be getting some sleep. It's late."  
"Fine..." Genis got up to go to his tent, but collapsed halfway.  
_Is he sick? Wait, no, he's asleep. I can hear him snoring. Good lord, he's a sound sleeper._ Lloyd plunked him into his bed before retreating to his own.  
  
_Is everyone asleep now?_ Zelos looked outside cautiously. _It seems so..._  
He tiptoed his way to Colette's tent. _I'm just going to go and see if my fellow Chosen is alright..._  
Colette was sleeping fitfully, her breathing shallow. Zelos carefully put a hand on her forehead.  
_Ouch! Damn, you could boil water at that temperature!  
_Colette shivered, coughing. _Let's see...bad fever, shivering...where have I seen that before...? Maybe at school...? If only I paid more attention!_ He sighed and left. _I sure hope I don't catch it._  
  
_Hey, I'm awake! And no one had to wake me up...that's odd. I wonder what time it is...? Maybe I should check on Colette, _Lloyd thought.  
He poked his head in. "Col-"  
"OUT!" she screamed, throwing Pow Pow hammers at him.  
"Ouch! What's wrong with her...Professor! What are you doing up?"  
"I'm fine now," Raine answered. "the monster attacked Colette again during the night and...her clothes were damaged beyond repair..."  
"...Oh," Lloyd managed.  
"Raine!" Colette pleaded. "please get me some new clothes!" she stuck her hand out of her tent flap. Raine sighed gave her a robe. There were some sounds of quick changing, then silence.  
"Lloyd, what are you doing still out here?" Raine said.  
"What? He's still out there?" Colette freaked, sticking her head out. "you...!"  
"Huh?"  
"You peeping tom, you!" Colette tried to run up to him and teach him a lesson, but she tripped and fell, being the klutzy Chosen she is. Lloyd ran as fast as his legs could carry him.  
"So...what did you see?" Zelos smirked.  
"Absolutely nothing. Get away from me."  
"Touchy."  
"Zelos, leave him alone," Sheena scolded, hitting him with a card.  
"Ah, you're back! I missed you, hunnie!" Zelos grinned, trying to give Sheena a hug.  
"Get away from me!" Sheena cringed, dodging swiftly away from his grasp. Zelos, heartbroken, sulked in a corner.  
"Re-_ject_-ed!" Genis jeered.  
"Shut up. Fire ball!"  
Genis squawked and rolled on the ground, unable to concentrate long enough to cast Icicle.  
"Hey, can you teach me how to do that?" Lloyd asked.  
"Get some elven blood in you and I'll consider it."  
Lloyd smiled evilly at Genis, who squawked again and fled.  
"I'm just kidding! Come back!"  
Genis, who was intent on running away as far as he could from Lloyd, didn't look where he was going and ran smackdab into Presea.  
"I'm sorry...Pre...sea..."  
"I'm fine, Genis. But are _you_ alright?"  
"Me? Oh, I'mfine, neverbeenbetter..."  
"Genis, you're babbling. What are you saying?"  
"Igottago, niceseeingyoubye!"  
Genis dashed off in another direction.  
"Odd. I will ask Raine if he is sick or something...it is not like him to run like that."  
Colette ran up to her, panting.  
"Presea? Have you seen Lloyd?"  
"No, I haven't. Why?"  
"Because...um...I need to find him!"  
"Why do you have your chakrams with you?"  
"Oh...these? I...uh...where's Lloyd?"  
Presea sighed and shook her head. "My guess is that he is over there," pointing to where Zelos and Sheena where. "don't hurt yourself too much. You've been attacked a lot lately, and you've been losing a lot of blood."  
"Don't worry about me," Colette fumed, flying in the direction indicated. "Worry more for Lloyd!"  
Presea sighed again and rubbed her temples. _I'm not going to ask, I'm not going to ask...  
_"Ow! Stop, Colette!" Lloyd's voice.  
"Come back here!" Colette.  
"Colette, stop!" Sheena.  
"Let...me...go!" Colette.  
"Run, Lloyd! Use your scrawny little legs!" Zelos.  
"It's all a giant misunderstanding...!" Lloyd.  
Presea sighed again, again. _I think I will go look for Genis and pretend this never happened..._


	4. Fire breathing Chosen

**Random disclaimer skit thingy:**  
Urby: Zzzz...zzzz.  
Seldom: Wake up!  
Urby: Zzzz...zzzz.  
Seldom: (screams in her ear) UP!  
Urby: Waiiii! What?  
Seldom: Disclaimer! And then story! Have you forgotten?  
Urby: Fine...Iownnothingandneitherdoyouunlessyou'refromNamcowhichIseriouslydoubt.  
I'mnotmakinganymoneyoffofthissoyoucan'tsueme.  
AndbythewayI'monamilkhighforthoseofyouwhoguessedwhichisprollynotanyofyou. There.  
Seldom: Wanna answer to the reviews or something?  
Urby: Sure.  
Seldom: Ummm...actually, they mostly say "Update" and "What's with Colette?"  
Urby: Update? Of course I'm gonna update! That's obvious, doods! Nothing you say is gonna change that. (Unless I get a ton of flames...I have self-confidence problems...snuffoo) And about Colette...you'll just have to find out. Muhaha.  
Seldom: Story! (hits Urby lightly with a frying pan) Write else I will hit you harder!  
Urby: Ayeee! (writes while running away from her sister) 

By the way, every time you see a line, it's probably a different day.

* * *

"Colette! Calm down!" Sheena shouted, restraining her.  
"You don't understand!" Colette gasped, trying to get free. "He..."  
She told Sheena what happened in hushed whispers. Sheena looked at Zelos coldly.  
"This was your idea, wasn't it?"  
"Huh?" Zelos said innocently, for he really was innocent.  
Sheena let Colette go. "C'mon, we'll catch 'em both together!"  
"What?" Lloyd wondered.  
"Run for your lives!" Zelos screamed, grabbing Lloyd. "angry ninja girl plus angry angel girl equals death!"  
"It's all a big misunderstanding!"  
"STOP!"  
Everyone turned to see a very ticked-off Raine, trying earnestly not to tear something into shreds.  
"What's the cause of this rampage?"  
There was silence for what seemed like a lifetime, and then everyone started talking all at once.  
"Lloyd!"  
"Professor, it wasn't me! I swear!"  
"It's probably Zelos! I know it!"  
"I didn't do it!"  
"SILENCE!" Raine shouted. Everyone shut up, which was about as informing as the random babble.  
"One...at a time. Colette, you first..." Raine managed.  
"Um...Lloyd saw me changing!"  
"Okay...Lloyd?"  
"I swear I didn't! I saw nothing!"  
"This is going nowhere...Sheena?"  
"Uh...I don't know all the details, but I think it's Zelos' idea..."  
"Lastly, Zelos..."  
"Wasn't involved. You have my word as the Chosen."  
Raine sighed and rubbed her temples. "So...if what Lloyd says is true, it's all a giant misunderstanding. I think that would be the best way to take care of it. We're supposed to be working _together_, aren't we? Not trying to kill each other. Now, if I see any more if this, I think I'll break a few bones. But not mine. Alright?"  
Everyone nodded.  
"Lloyd, I'm sorry," Colette apologized.  
"I'm sorry too," Lloyd said, scratching the back of his head.  
"One big happy ending," Zelos grinned, giving everyone a group hug.  
"Must...not...choke...Zelos..." Raine fumed.

* * *

"Lloyd?"  
Colette leaned over him. _Is he asleep, or just pretending? Maybe...I have an idea.  
_"Tickle!" Colette squealed, tickling Lloyd. He eventually laughed himself awake.  
"Col...ha ha, stop it...hee hee! Stop! I give..."  
Lloyd tickled Colette back, who nearly choked laughing. "Lloyd! No...hee hee! Stop..."  
"What's happening?" an angry Genis shouted, barging in. "some people are trying to sleep, you know!"  
Colette and Lloyd looked up. Genis gasped. "Oh...I get it...I'm sorry..."  
"Genis! We were just tickling each other!" said Lloyd.  
"Yeah...right..." Genis sneered.  
"Lloyd! I have an idea!" Colette whispered, telling him what the plan was.  
"Huh?" Genis wondered, taking a step back.  
"Prepare yourself, Genis!" Lloyd smirked.  
"Wha...? Wait!" Colette held Genis down while Lloyd tickled him into submission. "nooo! Stop! That tickles...hee! I'm dying...help!"  
Raine stepped in carefully. "What's going on? And what are you doing out of bed, Colette? You should be getting your rest!"  
"Aww, but Professor!" Colette whined. "I'm fine!"  
"No buts. You're going back NOW." Raine took Colette by the ear and dragged her back to her tent, despite the Chosen's protests.  
Genis and Lloyd looked at them for a little while. "You know, now that she's not around, it's no fun tickling you," Lloyd admitted.  
"Thank goodness."  
"What's for breakfast?"  
"Hasn't been made yet. What do you want?"  
"I think...I dunno. What do _you_ want?"  
"I asked first. What do _you _want?"  
"I don't know!"  
Genis and Lloyd sighed.  
"Seriously, what _do_ you want?" 

Colette pouted. _This isn't fair! I'm stuck in this stuffy tent, which is probably as bad as being outside, if not worse, and everyone else is out there having fun and eating breakfast! I know Raine's concerned about my health, but I'm alright now. Didn't she get sick too? She's such a hypocrite.  
Why am I thinking like this? This isn't like me. She just wants me to get better.  
But I am better! And I want out!_ Colette stuck her head outside. _And if someone tries to stop me, then...um...  
This is freaky...I'm starting to scare myself,_ Colette thought, retreating back into the tent and hiding under the covers. _Why couldn't I have been born a normal girl and live out a normal life?  
Then someone else would have to suffer...bad me for even thinking that! Bad! Bad! Now stay here and no complaining!_  
Raine entered. "Colette? Are you hungry?"  
"No," said she from under the covers.  
"Well, if you are, I saved you some breakfast," Rained sighed, exiting.  
"What's wrong, Professor? You look stumped." Lloyd managed to say with his mouth full.  
"She hasn't eaten since she vomited _two days ago_! Isn't that...you know, strange?"  
Everyone paused, thinking.  
"She hasn't?" Genis asked.  
"I've been watching her. She hasn't touched anything near edible since that day."  
"Could it be...that she's lost her sense of taste again?" Lloyd offered.  
"Huh?" Zelos wondered.  
"It was part of the angel transformation. She lost her appetite and her sense of taste...Lloyd, you might be right!"  
Genis gasped. "It's the end of the world! Lloyd solved a problem using _logic_!" he ran around in a tight circle, screaming bloody murder while Presea looked at him quizzically.  
"Shut up," Lloyd growled.  
"Calm down, brat," Zelos said icily, grabbing his shirt and forcing him to sit down. "do you want to attract monsters or something?"  
Genis sighed and said, "I guess I overdid it a little..."  
"So...how can we be sure?"  
Zelos twirled a finger in his hair. "I have an idea. But don't you dare breathe a word of this to Colette, okay? Here's what I'm going to do..."

"Colette? Are you awake?"  
Colette shifted, snoring softly. "She's asleep. Can you wake her or something?"  
Lloyd cautiously crept up to her. "Um...is she really asleep?" he poked her and opened one of her eyelids.  
"She sleeps like a rock," Zelos sighed. "maybe we should try later?"  
"No, I want to try something..." Lloyd carefully tickled her in the side.  
"Mmm...stop...that tickles..." Colette opened her eyes. "whoa! It's dark out. What time is it?"  
"You missed lunch. Here's your dinner," Zelos handed her a bowl.  
"Did I really? Thanks," Colette smiled as she dug in.  
Zelos and Lloyd were looking at her expectantly.  
"What?" she said, nervous.  
"Nothing," they said at the same time. Colette returned to eating.  
"Thanks! It was delicious," she chirped, handing the bowl back. She yawned. "I'm tired...I think..." she plopped down and soon they could hear her breathing slow down.  
"She does sleep like a rock," Lloyd gasped, poking her.  
"Did I really put twenty Red Satays in this?" Zelos said to himself, licking some off his finger. "Mrphcff!"  
"Huh?"  
Zelos didn't answer-rather, he couldn't answer, because there were flames coming out of his mouth. He wisely shut it and gestured Lloyd to go get some water.  
"Lloyd? Why are you in such a hurry?" Genis wondered as he shot past.  
"I need water!"  
"What happened?" Genis asked, joining his friend.  
"Zelos ate the soup and now he's dying," Lloyd panted.  
"Hurray!" Genis cried. "I don't see why you'd want to save him, but oh well."  
They got a pitcher of water and gave it to Zelos, who downed it all in one go.  
"Bud! You saved me!" he said happily, hugging Lloyd.  
"Ack! Help me Genis, I'm dying!"  
"Um...I can't cast anything! I'll hit you too!"  
"It doesn't matter! Stop him before he kills me!"  
Genis hit Zelos a few times with his kendama until he let Lloyd go.  
"You saved me, Genis!" Lloyd hugged him.  
"Noooo! It's a never-ending cycle of doom!"  
"What is going on?" Presea growled, holding her ax in one hand and a lantern in another. "please stop shouting and go to sleep."  
"It is kinda late...okay, Presea."

* * *

"Aaaaugh! My face! My beautiful face!"  
Lloyd jumped out of bed. _What's going on?  
_Zelos was running around looking like an idiot while Raine was chasing him, trying to find out what was wrong. "Zelos, calm yourself!" she panted.  
Colette poked her head out of her tent. "What's going on?" she stepped out carefully.  
Zelos, not looking where he was going, ran into Colette. "Heeeelp!"  
Raine ran over to him and looked him over. "You have a cut on your forehead. Not that serious."  
"It's the monster! It got me! It's on my arm, too!"  
Raine studied it carefully. "I...wait...one cut...yes, I think you're right!"  
"Colette, are you hurt?" Lloyd asked.  
"I'm fine! I'm just really tired. What time is it?"  
"Uh, it's morning."  
"Really? Wow, that's weird. Good night-er, morning!" she went back into the tent.  
"If the monster attacked Zelos instead of Colette, will...it attack us, too?" Genis asked fearfully.  
"There's no way to tell," Raine sighed. "we can only hope it doesn't." 


	5. Chosen's wings

**Really lame random disclaimer skit thingy:  
**Seldom: Hey Urby. Can I ask you a question?  
Urby: Shoot.  
Seldom: Okay. (pulls out a gun)  
Gun: Blam.  
Urby: Not what I meant.  
Seldom: That joke was lame anyway. So, if you could make all the TOS characters into animals, who would you make into what?  
Urby: Um...Lloyd into a dog, he's got a doglike personality. Regal...a bear. He's kinda scary, like a grizzly, but he's not, like a teddy. Sheena would be a ferret, 'cuz they're ninjalike, but clumsy enough to fall into holes. Presea is a cat, she acts very catlike at times. Zelos...um...would be a monkey. They may act silly, but they're smart. Raine and Genis would be birds of some sort. I think elves and birds are majestic and stuff. Genis would be fuzzy with chicky down, since he's young.  
Seldom: Awww! Kawaii! Wouldn't they be half-birds then?  
Urby: Whatever!  
Seldom: What about Colette?  
Urby: Haven't thought it up yet.  
Seldom: What? But...but...she's the person you know the most about! The one you play all the time! Your favorite!  
Urby: Genis being a close second.  
Seldom: So you don't know?  
Urby: Don't you have to remind me to write the disclaimer or summat?  
Seldom: Oh yeah. (smacks Urby with her frying pan) Disclaimer!  
Urby: Waiiii...Fine. ! 0wn n087l-l!ng, d00d5. There.  
Seldom: That's it? You lazy bum! (chases with her almighty frying pan of doom in hand) Don't make me use this!  
Urby: (runs away while carrying the computer, writing.)

This chapter may contain (cuff cough not very wheeze choke) minor spoilers, dood. Ignorant ones, you have been warned.

* * *

"Lloyd?"  
Zelos loomed over his sleeping figure. _Huh, I wonder how I should make him up. Sheena did the bucket of water trick, Presea's done the poking, Colette did the tickling, Genis did the spell, and Raine did the smacking...what's left? Oh, I know..._  
"Bud!" he shouted in his ear, hugging him.  
"Ahhh!" Lloyd screamed. "the monster got me!"  
"Awww, I'm not a monster," Zelos sniffed, letting go of Lloyd. "that was mean..."  
"Oh, it's just you," Lloyd sighed out of relief.  
"What were you expecting?"  
"Well, I was having this dream about the monster, and it was trying to bite me in the neck or something..."  
"Mmmm, breakfast! I'm starving!" Zelos slurped, not listening. "if you're not getting up, can I have your share?"  
"I am getting up! You'd better not touch my food, Zelos!"  
"Because I took it!" Colette squealed, running away with his bowl.  
Lloyd gasped. "You...little thief!" he chased her, but she always flew out of his reach.  
"Hey, if I help you catch it, can I have it?" Zelos asked.  
"No! Although your help would be appreciated," Lloyd gasped, trying to grab Colette's feet and bring her down.  
Colette was having such a good time that she wasn't paying attention to where she was flying and ran into a tree branch. She was alright, (but slightly dazed) the branch was alright, and most importantly, the food was alright!  
"I can't reach it! Zelos, can you give me a boost?"  
"Will you give it to me?"  
"No! I'm hungry!"  
"Sheesh. I think I'll go get my bowl and stick with that."  
_Aww, man! I can't climb trees for beans, and she's too high up for me. I don't want to shake her out; she might get hurt or something.  
_Colette came to. "Where am I? And whose bowl is this?"  
"It's mine! You stole it from me, remember?"  
Colette looked down and gulped. "Um...no...Lloyd, I'm going to jump, okay?"  
"Colette, no!"  
"Here I go!" she leaped from the branch. Lloyd positioned himself to catch her, but she soared over him and landed softly behind him.  
_I feel so needed..._  
"Here's your breakfast back. Lloyd, what's wrong?"  
"Nothing. Just give me that!" he said, greedily digging in.  
Colette smiled weakly. "Um...so where's camp?"  
Lloyd pointed out the way, his mouth being full. She thanked him and skipped off in that direction. He followed, making sure she didn't trip over anything or something like that.  
"Hey! About time," Zelos called. "we're leaving for Meltokio!"  
"Why?" Lloyd and Colette said in unison.  
"It's the dance party!" Genis cried out happily. "I can't wait! There's gonna be free munchies and stuff!"  
"Count me in," Lloyd said, getting on his Rheaird. Colette climbed on hers, waiting for the rest. After a brief check to see if they hadn't forgotten anything, they left.  
"So when's the party gonna take place?"  
"During the evening. We have the whole day to goof off before we have to change into fancy clothes and go to the party."  
"Hey, Colette! We're turning! Where are you going?" Lloyd called out.  
"She's asleep! Wake her up before she crashes into something!" Raine shrieked.  
"Um...Wind blade!" Genis fumbled with his kendama.  
"Ouch! Where am I?"  
"Don't do that!" Lloyd shouted.  
Colette nodded furiously, even though she didn't know what she was agreeing to.  
  
"Meltokio! Home sweet home!" Zelos smiled.  
"Oh, look! It's Zelos!" cried out a Zelos fangirl.  
"Let's get him!" cried out another.  
"Hide me!" he squeaked, hiding behind Sheena, who was trying to hide behind _him_ to try and mask her presence. Who knows what those city people would say if they saw _her_ out here?  
"While they spend their day doing that, what do you want to do, Colette?" asked Lloyd.  
Colette was leaning against a wall, sleeping. Genis was poking her and trying to get her to wake up.  
"Co_lette_? Are you alive?"  
"Maybe we'd better get her to Zelos' house and let her rest."  
"But that's all she's been doing for what, the last two days? Something's fishy. Not enough sleep is bad, but so is too much!"  
Colette, oblivious, snored softly.  
"Well, we can't just leave her here. Let's go."  
"And leave her in Zelos' house? Which is worse?"

"Sir Zelos, it is time for the dinner party."  
"Yey!" Genis smiled. "where's my clothes?"  
"Yeah, I want mine too!" Lloyd said alongside his friend.  
"Ah, Sir Bud...yours did not arrive."  
"Huh? Fine, I'll just go up and ask 'em for it." Lloyd exited.  
"Meanwhile, the rest of your suits are in the suites," Sebastian said.  
"I can't wait!"  
"Me neither!"

"Hah, Genis, you look like you're dressed for Easter Sunday!" Sheena smirked.  
"What's that?" Genis asked, fumbling with some buttons.  
"It's a holiday in Mizuho."  
"I think you're cute enough to eat, Genis!" Colette smiled.  
"These buttons are annoying!" he whined.  
Raine sighed and helped her brother. "I hate this outfit too..."  
"I don't hate the outfit! I just hate the buttons!"  
"So, is everyone ready?" Zelos asked, fixing his hair. "then let's go."  
Everyone filed into the reception room. "Right this way, please," the lady behind the counter said.  
"Free munchies!" Genis drooled. "I don't know where to start!"  
Colette waited at the terrace, not hungry. Sighing, she didn't notice Lloyd come up to her.  
"Oh! You scared me," Colette gasped.  
"You know what? This whole fancy party thing is boring. Do you wanna go outside?"  
"Sure thing."  
The air was pleasantly cool with no clouds out. Colette looked up at the stars.  
"Lloyd? Can I ask you a question...?"  
"Sure."  
"Do you...think my wings are pretty?" she asked, making them visible briefly.  
"Of course! They're beautiful," Lloyd answered, putting a hand on her shoulder.  
"But not as beautiful as Kratos' or Yggdrasill's?" she sniffed.  
"You know what? Yggdrasill is a big loony. I like your wings."  
"Lloyd...thank you."  
"Maybe they'll become prettier as you grow up, too. Those people are a lot older than you are."  
"By a few thousand years...Lloyd, do you think I'll live that long?"  
Lloyd sighed. "How should I know? I'm just a human. I'll die soon. But that's why I have to live my life the best I can."  
Both considered this for a moment.  
"How long do you think the party lasts?" Lloyd asked offhandedly.  
Colette gasped. "Do...you think it might be over?"  
"Let's go check."  
The ballroom was empty, but a few candles were still burning.  
"I didn't notice the time..." Colette yawned. "I'm sleepy..." the words barely escaped her mouth as she collapsed. Lloyd caught her before she fell.  
_This sleeping problem is getting really bad..._

Lloyd entered Zelos' house carefully. "Is anyone still awake?" he said.  
"Lloyd!" Genis whispered, running up to him. "thank goodness! I thought you and Colette eloped or something!"  
"Shut up!" Lloyd growled, pulling on Genis' hair.  
"Ouch! No, not the hair!"  
Raine stepped out, holding a candle. "You're back. Here, I'll get Colette to the girl's room. Don't stay up too late."  
"What are you two doing?" Lloyd asked.  
"We're reading a book. On spells. Yeah. Nothing you'd be interested in."  
"You're studying _here_? You two are crazy!"  
"Not as crazy as you. Are you tired? I sure am."  
"What's that supposed to mean?"

* * *

Lloyd got up. _Where is everyone? Why didn't somebody wake me up? When's breakfast?  
_He trudged down the stairs, yawning. _It's really quiet...  
_"Lloyd! Are you alright?" Raine gasped, running up to him.  
"Wha...? What happened?"  
"Any broken bones? Cuts? Bruises?"  
"Professor, I-"  
"Turn your head and cough!"  
"Professor! What's wrong?"  
Raine sighed and sat down in a chair. "I'm sorry...it's just that...the monster got all the girls tonight...even me. It also got Genis. I was worried it might have gotten you, too."  
Lloyd tensed. "It...came here?"  
"Yes, and it had a monstrous appetite. Well, obviously. You understand what I mean."  
Lloyd stepped into the living room, where everyone attacked was being cared for. Zelos was trying to heal Sheena, but she resisted and ended up tripping over the rug and hurting herself. Regal tended to Presea, who was utterly silent, Genis lay in a corner, watching Presea, and Raine patched up Colette, who was in the worst condition of all. She shook uncontrollably, wings fizzling in and out of sight.  
"Colette!" Lloyd shouted, dashing to her side.  
"Ll...oyd," she croaked.  
"Lloyd, please," Raine whispered. "I'm trying to concentrate."  
"No..." Colette said, holding on to Lloyd's arm. "don't...leave me..."  
Lloyd looked at Raine, who sighed and nodded. Colette's eyes smiled and she stopped shaking as much.  
There was silence for a moment. Then, Raine collapsed. Everyone freaked.  
"Lloyd...I think I killed her..." Colette worried.  
"She's not dead," Genis replied, checking for a pulse.  
Colette coughed and choked on something. Lloyd clapped her on the back. She shivered and vomited.  
"We need to get them to a doctor, and quick!"  
"There's one in Flanoir! Let's go!"

* * *

**Author's notes:  
**Thank you for reading, dood. By the way, I don't think I'll be updating anymore for a while. School is starting and my Internet will be taken away. I might write, but I can't post (unless by a stoke of luck, my mum leaves her comp on and I've got a finished chapter on a floppy or something) Enjoy the chapter, and don't forget to review! 


	6. Katz and Penguinists

**Really lame random disclaimer skit thingy:  
**Urby: Hey Seldom.  
Seldom: (is looking at her almighty frying pan of doom) Would it be more effective as a weapon, or as a cooking utensil?  
Urby: Seldom? Can I ask you a question?  
Seldom: Okay.  
Urby: How come people like yaoi and yuri but don't support gay marriage?  
Seldom: Well, yaoi and yuri usually have really hot anime chicks/guys, while normal, boring looking gay and lesbian people try and get married.  
Urby: Oh, I get it…so if like, celebrities tried to do that, it would all be okay?  
Seldom: Yeah. Some do, but the really popular ones don't, so it isn't, apparently.  
Urby: Or do they.  
Seldom: Do they?  
Urby: I dunno.  
Seldom: Are you insinuating something?  
Urby: I dunno...or do I?  
Seldom: Stop quoting Fairly Odd Parents and write the disclaimer. (hits Urby with a frying pan)  
Urby: Oook! Fine.  
_There once was a girl who played video games.  
There were very many she thought that were lame.  
But when she picked up TOS she  
Said so sadly,  
"I wish I owned Namco, but I don't. Shame!"_  
Seldom: That was good. I won't hit you, this time.  
Urby: Yey!  
Seldom: But I will chase you! Brahaha! (chases) Write durn you!  
Urby: Waiiiii! Oh, any underlined text indicates dreams. Oooh, dreamy.  
Seldom: Johnny Depp is sooo dreamy!  
Urby: Shut up.  
Seldom: I will now impersonate you.  
Urby: Oh dear. I was asking for it.  
Seldom: Cloud is sooo dreamy! (flutters her eyes)  
Urby: ...! HE'S MINE! MINE! RAAAAGH, DOOD!  
All the other Cloud fangirls: (mob Seldom) Ours, too!  
Seldom: Nuuuu! Not again!  
Urby: And before my fans mob me, I will now write the story.  
AquaSynn: You have fans? Never knew that.  
Urby: Shut up else I will drain your aquarium.

* * *

Lloyd looked at the ceiling for the umpteenth time._ Can't sleep…memorized all the dots on the ceiling…what to do now?  
_He exited his room in the Flanoir inn. _Genis' light is still on…maybe he can't sleep either.  
_He opened it to see him on the floor, reading a book. "Hey Genis…do you want to walk outside or something? I can't sleep."  
"Right, Lloyd…I'd love to start off my stay with a little hypothermia," the half-elf retorted. "besides, I have to read this book for Raine."  
Lloyd looked over his shoulder. "What is it anyway?"  
Genis clapped it shut. "A book on spells in elvish! Like yesterday!" Lloyd took it from his grasp, despite his protests. _It really is in elvish...darn!_ Lloyd grumbled and walked outside. Sheena was having a snowball fight with some of the local children (Zelos was watching from a corner, throwing a well-placed snowball every now and then) Presea and Regal were probably talking about some random thing in the past, and Raine and Colette were both being cared for by that greedy doctor.  
_Hey wait...what's that..._  
Lloyd walked over to it. _It's a dog...and it's been slashed apart. Gruesome...wait...didn't Colette name this dog? Poochi or something? She'll be heartbroken.  
_A small shape moved under it. Lloyd lifted the body, and found a puppy, trying to warm itself next to its dead mother.  
"That won't work anymore," he said softly, picking it up. "I'll see if we can get you something to eat." The puppy whined and chewed on a button on Lloyd's suit. "Hey! No touchie! My buttons!"  
  
Lloyd entered Colette's room. She was sitting up in her bed, looking up at the ceiling.  
"Hey..." Lloyd began.  
"Oh! Lloyd! I didn't notice you come in," she stammered. "what's that in your hand?" Lloyd presented the puppy to her.  
"Oh! It's so cute!" she took it gently and looked at it, checking for any problems. "she doesn't look like she's been weaned yet...where's her mother?" Lloyd hung his head. Colette gasped.  
"No..." "I brung it back because I thought we could do something..."  
"Lloyd! It's brought! Not brung! Use correct grammar! If the Professor was awake now, she'd give you a beating!" Lloyd noticed Raine for the first time, lying in a bed next to Colette. She shifted, muttering and reaching for something.  
"She's been like that for a while...but I can't sleep...the medication the doctor gave me is keeping me awake."  
Lloyd looked at the puppy in her hand. "What can we do for it?"  
The puppy nibbled on her finger. "She's hungry...but she can't eat solid food yet. She needs milk."  
In a corner something twitched. Lloyd inched closer, examining it.  
"Mewl!" The object, a fish-shaped pot, materialized into a little child with a kittenish smile and a small tail. Her ears were shaped like those of a Katz.  
"Mew! I'm Byruu, the half-Katz! I heard someone mention milk, mew."  
Lloyd looked at Colette, who shrugged. "We need milk for this puppy."  
Byruu thought for a minute. "That'll be 4000 gald, mew."  
Lloyd dug in his pocket. "Darn Katz with their expensive services..."  
Byruu growled and dug her claws into his leg. "I can make it more costly, you know! Mewl!"  
Lloyd shrieked and shook her off. "Okay, okay! Here!"  
Byruu handled the gald with care. After pocketing it, she pulled out a fancy-looking bottle of milk. "Give it to the puppy, mew. Farewell!" She spun and vanished, à la Wonder Chef.  
There was silence (unless you count Raine's snoring and shifting) for a while.  
The puppy whined.  
"So, what are we gonna call it?"  
"I think this one's a Mitsmuzz! Her tail is so cute!"  
"Colette, you always think their tails are so cute."  
"But they are! It wags and it's just so adorable!" Colette yawned. "I'm finally getting tired."  
"It is really late. I think I'll turn in. Good night!"  
  
Colette rubbed her head. _I feel odd_.  
"Oh, hey! You're late," Genis said, pulling on her sleeve. "the marriage is getting started!" "Who...what...huh?" Colette allowed herself to be picked up and carried by him, which was surprising, considering the half-elf's strength.  
Byruu was standing at the altar, with...Lloyd...and Sheena...  
Genis dropped Colette, who stood in disbelief. _No...this can't be happening_...  
"Do you, Lloyd, accept Sheena to be your lawfully wedded wife...aw, heck. We wouldn't be here if you'd just say no anyways, right? Right! Mew! Just kiss the bride already and have fun," Byruu sighed, throwing the bible behind her, grumbling about how she wasn't getting paid enough and 'the food better be good'.  
Colette covered her eyes. _I can't look!_  
"What are you doing, just standing there? You have to get ready, mew." Byruu meowed, prying her hands away from her face. "you're getting married next!"  
"Really? To whom...?" she managed.  
"Why, to me, of course," Zelos said from behind her. "have you forgotten?"  
Colette gasped and ran away. _It's just a dream, just a dream...how did Raine say to wake up from nightmares again? Immerse yourself in water or something?_  
"Hunnie? Where are you going?" Zelos cried out.  
Byruu appeared before Colette, stopping her. "Here you go, mew." She offered her a basin of milk. "Go dunk yourself." "Thank you so much," Colette said breathlessly, splashing herself.  
  
Colette awoke with on the floor, Mitsmuzz licking her face. _That...was scary. Too scary.  
_Raine picked her up. "Bad dream?"  
"Terrible," she said, shivering. "I was going to get married to Zelos."  
Raine gasped. "You poor thing! Are you sure you're not eating anything weird before you go to bed?"  
"I'm not sure...aren't dreams messages from your unconscious mind or something?"  
"No one really knows. But I do know I once had a dream about drowning and never really liked water since."  
Colette picked up Mitsmuzz and sighed. _Maybe I should be nicer to Zelos?  
_"What's that?" Raine asked, looking at Mitsmuzz.  
"Lloyd found her yesterday. Her mother is dead." Raine sighed and had nothing to say.  
"Can we keep her?" Colette pleaded.  
"Well..." Colette and Mitsmuzz gave her the puppy eyes. (well, it's kinda easy to do the puppy eyes when you are one)  
"Oh, alright." There was a frantic knock at the door.  
"Come in," Raine answered. "it's open."  
Presea entered hesitantly. "Professor...it's Genis...he's gone!" Raine froze.  
"He's _WHAT_?"  
  
Genis coughed himself awake. _Where am I? I feel like I've been flattened by a tree again.  
_He shook some snow off him._ I must be somewhere near Flanoir. It's cold...  
Wait, snow isn't supposed to be red. And my arm stings.  
_He took a look at his arm, which had the monster's telltale gash on it.  
_Oh, woe...  
_And to make his day even worse, a snowstorm started.  
_Lovely. Just lovely._  
He wandered aimlessly, lost and alone, calling out every few steps. Soon, he gave up and lay down, begging the snow to swallow him up...  
"What's this?"  
"Ohmigosh, Hammer, it's a human child!"  
"Not...a human," Genis groaned.  
"Tacks! He's dying! We have to help him! Kid, can you walk?"  
"Hammer! Of course he can't! Okay, you pick up the arms, I'll take the legs. Ready? Up!" Genis felt himself be lifted. _Great, now they're going to plop me in a pot and boil me. Actually, that doesn't sound so bad after freezing...Oh, woe times I forget.  
_And then, the merciful darkness came...  
  
"Presea! Come inside! You'll get buried in the snow!" Colette cried, shivering.  
"No. I will stay until Genis returns," she growled, standing near the entrance to the inn like a sentinel. Her determined face seemed to challenge the snowstorm to do its worst.  
Colette draped a quilt over her. "Well, if you get hungry, just yell or something."  
Presea wrapped it around herself. "Thank you."  
_Where are you? Come back...please...don't leave me alone again..._  
  
Genis awoke next to a fire.  
_Oh! I so called it! I'm going to be boiled. They're cooking the broth already. Ayee, it smells delicious. If I somehow manage to live, I'm going to ask for the recipe._  
"Hey, Tacks. Mmmm, what is it?"  
"Uh...fish...fish...more fish...fish again...and eggs. It's about ready. Hammer, please stir it while I wake the little one."  
Something poked him. Genis groaned and rolled over.  
"Are you hungry?"  
Genis' rumbling stomach answered for him.  
"Okay. Don't use your arm-we just changed the bandage. I'll get you some food." Genis sat up, looking around. It was a homely cave of some sort, with the smell of saltwater. A blue Penguinist was stirring a bubbling pot where all the yummy smells where coming from, a purple Penguinist was pouring some of the said broth into a small fish-shaped bowl, and Genis' clothes were hanging on a clothesline.  
"Are those my clothes?" he asked, pointing.  
"Oh, those? We hung them up to dry. They were wet and having wet clothes on a human during cold weather can be very dangerous, and it's cold all the time here."  
_If those are my clothes up there...then..._  
"What am I wearing?" he blurted, looking at himself in a pool of water. He was wearing a seemingly patchworked Penguinist suit in all sorts of colors, complete with gloves, hood, boots, and a cute little tail.  
"I made a suit for you to keep you warm," the purple one said. "we asked a few friends to chip in some quills. I hope you like it."  
_This looks like it would take a few days to make. I must have been out of it for a while._  
"Oh yes, and before we forget," the blue one chimed, "I'm Hammer. This is Tacks," he pointed to the purple one, who handed him a bowl of the fish broth.  
"Genis," Genis slurped.  
"That suit does look good on you," Hammer remarked. "you ever considered being a full-time Penguinist? You can live with us." Genis looked at the suit. It was very well made, nice and warm.  
"I'm sorry...but I have to find my friends."  
Hammer and Tacks looked at each other. "Companions? Please, do tell us about them. We haven't heard a good yarn in a while." Genis looked at the two Penguinists, who really looked like a pair of penguins, sit down in front of him and look at him with an eagerness small children show when they expect a story from a visiting grandparent.  
"Well...first, there's Lloyd..." 


	7. Meant to be

**Really lame random disclaimer skit thingy:**  
Seldom: Me wanna play Puzzle Pirates! Geddoff!  
Urby: Well, me writing Crimson! Lemmealone!  
Seldom: Oooh! Lemme help.  
Urby: Oh dear. Please don't.  
Seldom: (pulls out her frying pan) Write the disclaimer, you!  
Urby: Don't hit me, mew!  
Seldom: DISCLAIMER.  
Urby: I own naught but Byruu, Hammer, Tacks, and the storyline. Mew. You don't own them, and I don't own TOS or Namco. Sad, ain't it?  
Seldom: That...was lame.  
Urby: (snorts) Well, why don't you try, mew? I'm outta ideas.  
Seldom: I thought Byruu said mew, and you said dood.  
Byruu: Well, posh on you, dood.  
Urby: What she said, mew.

* * *

Raine paced impatiently. _Little brother, where are you?  
_She glanced outside where Presea was...or...supposed to be...  
"Presea?" she called out, running outside. "where are you?"  
A muffled sound came from under where she was standing. "Immphrghthrr."  
Raine got on her knees and dug her out. "Why...how?"  
Presea pointed at a rooftop. "Snow on the roof piled on me."  
"Why didn't you come inside? You could get frostbite out here."  
"I'm waiting for Genis," the pink-haired one growled, licking snow off her face.  
"Well, you can wait for him inside. We all are worried about him, not just you. And if he waltzed in and saw you looking like this, he'd throw a fit. Now get inside."  
"Yes, Professor..." Presea yawned, stumbling.  
Raine sighed and picked her up. "First, some food, then bed. No buts."  
"Please don't make the food yourself, Professor."  
"I heard that."  
  
"These people you journey with are interesting," Hammer said, preening a quill that was out of place. "where were they last?"  
"They were in Flanoir. I was with them, and then I got separated."  
"Flanoir? That place! But...it has Katz in it!" Tacks shrieked, jumping. "they're evil, thieving bastards!"  
"Katz are everywhere," Genis snorted.  
"Which is why we stay here," Hammer sighed. "they love nothing more than to make fun of us."  
Genis flexed his gloves. The suit was not unlike his Katz suit, so would real Katz and Penguinists be that different?  
"But aren't you...kinda the same?" he asked.  
Hammer and Tacks thought for a moment. "Well, we are both non-humans. And we both look like we're wearing suits of some sort..."  
"But they're still greedy fools!"  
"Aye, they still poke fun at us. Still don't like them, never will!"  
_Discrimination doesn't apply exclusively to humans?_  
"Can you just show me the way to Flanoir, even if you don't like Katz?" Genis interrupted.  
Tacks pointed. "Keep walking and you will be there. Stay safe, Genis."  
Genis waddled over and tucked his clothes in a pocket. He then belly-flopped into the snow, sliding in the direction indicated. _This beats walking any day! But if I had a choice, I'd stick with Rheairds.  
_  
"Presea? Is that you? You look like a mess," Sheena worried, poking her.  
Presea grumbled something unprintable and sipped some hot chocolate, pulling a blanket closer to her body. "Raine is making me stay inside."  
"You should be! There's a snowstorm out that could kill."  
Presea sighed and looked out the window. "Do you think he will come back?"  
Sheena turned. It was true the little taciturn girl cared about Genis a lot. And he had been gone for more than a week...  
"Yeah, he'll turn up soon enough. You must be really worried about him."  
Presea stared into her mug of hot chocolate, as if she expected it to jump and attack her. She sniffed.  
"Presea? Are you alright?"  
"Fine..." she choked. "it's just..." Presea then broke down, sobbing into the blanket. "I miss him so much!" Sheena patted her on the back. "We all miss him, Presea. We all do."  
"He...was my everything!" Presea sobbed. "I don't know what I'd do without him!"  
Sheena, at a loss for words, let Presea cry herself out. "I think I might be able to find him."  
Presea brightened visibly. "You...can?"  
Sheena drew a Summoning circle on the floor. "I'm not sure, but I'll try. Celsius, come!"  
Celsius poked her head out of the circle. "Never fails...get into the bathtub and someone calls for you. What?"  
"I'm looking for a little half-elf boy, silver hair, about this tall," Sheena instructed. "we're not sure where he went, but hopefully he's still nearby." Celsius nodded and vanished, leaving behind a few icy bubbles and a rubber duck made out of ice. (rubber duck made out of ice? What the heck am I talking about? I might as well say gobblydook while I'm at it. I have to stop drinking milk while I write this...)  
"Now we wait and see if she can find him."  
Presea looked around the room nervously, hoping.  
Celsius poked her head out of the circle again. "Good news! I found him!"  
Presea cheered softly. "Where is he?" Sheena asked.  
"Oh, that's the bad news. He's being tailed by monsters."  
  
_What a sorry way to go, being eaten because I look so much like a Penguinist!_ Genis ran/slipped/stumbled away from the Lobos that were chasing him, howling for their pals to get the multi-colored snack. _If I only could concentrate long enough to cast a spell, I could blast these dogs to oblivion! But no, I'm too busy running, and I left my kendama at the inn, besides!  
_He tripped over a rock covered with snow. _Oh, woe..._  
The Lobos caught up to him, their breath nauseating and their drool dripping on to the snow.  
"You will **not** come near him!" a beastly voice roared.  
Like a flying tank, Presea cannonballed into the first few Lobos, yelling. Genis, terrified, burrowed himself in the snow, leaving enough room near his eyes to watch her dance of death. After all the Lobos either died or ran away, she plopped on the ground, exhausted.  
"Presea, Presea, you were amazing!" Genis cried, jumping out of his hiding place and running up to her. "you took them all on your own and you beat them, too!"  
"Right...like I need another Raine to fuss over me...Presea? Uh, are you alive? Preeeesea?" Genis waddled to her side. _She's all cold...maybe I can hug her and keep her warm?_  
He held her, his mind wandering. _Wow, I'm hugging her! It's certainly not in the way I expected...wait...where are we?_ He looked around. It was snowing, not a storm, but enough so that he couldn't see Presea's tracks anymore. _Oh, woe...we're lost, I got off track when I was running away, Presea probably doesn't remember the way back, and we don't have anything to eat.  
_Presea shivered, coughing. _Am I not warm enough? Hey, I have an idea._  
He changed quickly into his normal clothes and fitted Presea in the Penguinist suit. _Okay...mind over matter...it isn't cold out..._  
Presea twitched and woke up. "Genis...what are you doing?"  
"Freezing, can't you tell?" he shivered as the snow fell faster, becoming a flurry of ice pelting them.  
Presea looked at the suit, which fit rather well. "Genis..."  
Genis shivered, teeth chattering. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine!"  
Presea flopped on him. "You'll be warmer like this."  
Genis protested. "I said I was fine!"  
"I'm not moving."  
Genis gave up and snuggled closer to her. _Penguinist quills aren't so prickly...they're nice and soft.  
_"Where did you get this suit?" Presea asked.  
Genis related the tale sleepily.  
"I always thought Penguinists were just people dressed up as penguins."  
"Well, they aren't, just as much as Katz aren't people in cat suits."  
Presea sighed and shifted. "Are you hungry?"  
"I was trying not to think about that."  
"So...are you?"  
"Stop talking about it! You're making me hungry!"  
  
"Presea?" Sheena called, wandering through the snow. "can you hear me?" _I'm such a fool, letting her get out of my sight. Now I can't find her, and goodness knows if she found Genis, and goodness knows if I can even find my way back. I'm a fool. Didn't I already say that? How stupid of me.  
_She sat down on the snow, thinking about how she could have been safe by a fire at Flanoir, but she had decided to follow Presea and help her find Genis. _I wasn't even much of a help...  
_From under her, muffled screaming and shrieking broke out. Sheena yelped, frozen in place. The snow under her moved. And then, a small hand poked out of the snow.  
"Shnna, gttoff!"  
Sheena dug furiously, trying to get them out. _I found them! I mean, I sat on them..._  
Presea was still in the Penguinist suit, coughing up snow. Genis was dusting snow off of his shirt.  
"What was that for?" he yelled.  
"I didn't mean to!" Sheena stammered.  
Presea waved a flipper. "Do you know the way back?"  
Celsius existed, pointing. "You're all lost, so just so you know, Flanoir is over there. You're welcome." she vanished.  
"Do we have to go now? Can it wait?" Genis yawned, curling up. "Sheena...woke me up from a nice dream." soon he was snoring softly. Presea draped herself over him, falling asleep.  
_They look so cute together. But, we have to go._ Sheena picked them up and walked toward Flanoir. _Ugh, someone needs to go on a diet..._  
  
Lloyd knocked on the door. "Colette? Professor? Are you in there?"  
Raine shooed him away. "Sorry, Lloyd. Colette has a cold and I can't let you in. Wouldn't want you catching it now, right?"  
"A cold won't stop me," he said, dodging Raine. "Colette, you okay?"  
Colette sneezed into her pillow. "No. I feel terrible and I have that bitterness in my mouth again." Mitsmuzz whined, licking her face.  
"She was also attacked last night," Raine added. "I found her outside, near the entrance to the city."  
_We aren't safe anywhere..._  
Zelos suddenly burst in. "Sheena!"  
"Sheena's not here," Lloyd snorted.  
"I know that! I'm just saying she's back! And she's got Presea and Genis too, but the important thing is Sheena's back!" he bounded down the hallway where she was, greeting her ecstatically. There was a loud slap sound. Mitsmuzz barked.  
"They're asleep," Sheena breathed, plopping Genis and Presea into their beds.  
"Sheena! You look like a mess!" Lloyd whispered.  
"I do? Well, I sure feel like one."  
Genis shifted, waking.  
"Genis!" Raine cried, grabbing her brother. "Genis! Are you alright?"  
Genis sighed dreamily. "Are you Presea?"  
"No, it's Raine, your sister."  
"Where's Presea?" Genis yawned.  
"She's right there," Raine pointed. Genis wriggled sleepily out of her grasp and curled up next to Presea.  
_That's so cute!_ Colette and Lloyd thought.  
_I wonder if I'll find someone like that?_ Raine and Sheena mused.  
_It's so sweet...it's giving me a toothache! Ha, I made a funny!_ Zelos started chuckling, and then he was doubling over laughing. _It's not that funny...ahaha...I can't stop...ah, damn...  
_"What's so funny?" Sheena wondered. "it's just Genis and Presea in a bed. Wait...Genis...and Presea...together..." it dawned on her. "Zelos, you perverted monkey bastard, you!"  
Zelos yelped. "It's not that, I swear!"  
Nothing would stop Sheena now. She was intent on tearing him apart, but he ran down the hall before she could catch him. Yelling, uh, roaring? in a very unhumanlike fashion, she dashed after him.  
Colette sniffled and coughed. Mitsmuzz whined and licked her face. "Watching them like that is making me sleepy."  
"Who, Sheena and Zelos, or Genis and Presea?"  
"I dunno. Both?" Colette yawned. Sensing a sneeze coming on, she grabbed her pillow.  
"Will you be alright?" Lloyd asked.  
"Yeah," Colette coughed. "don'd you jusd hade id when, you dink you'll dneeze, bud you don'd, and your node is all dickly and you're all miderable and dick and sduff?"  
"I love that!" the doctor grinned, entering. "it means I get a new patient. Oh, it's you...what ails you?" Colette finally sneezed, sending Mitsmuzz into a barking frenzy.  
"Common cold, eh? I'll get that out of the way," the doctor had a thermometer in her mouth before anyone could react. "now, out, the rest of you!" he booted Lloyd and Raine out.  
"I got kicked out of my own room," Raine fumed.  
"We could always get you another," Lloyd offered.  
"That would be nice. That puppy of hers drives me nuts!"  
  
Zelos hid in a tree, panting._ Is it safe yet? Or is that violent banshee still out for my head? 'Cuz being in this tree isn't very comfortable..._ He climbed down the tree, falling with all the grace of a duck on ice.  
A small sound made him start. He had heard it many times before, the sound of crying.  
_Let's see...it's female...I can't recognize it. Zelos, the Tethe'alla Chosen, to the rescue?  
_He crept toward the sound. "Sheena?"  
"Get away from me," she spat.  
Zelos put a hand on her shoulder, which she brushed away. "Don't you have a girl to hit on or something?" "Sheesh! I'm only trying to help."  
"I don't want your help."  
**Lies...** a ghastly voice whispered in her mind.  
_What was that?  
_"I don't need your help," she corrected herself, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.  
**Why do you lie? Do you like lying?** The Voice continued in a more questioning, childish tone. **Lying isn't good for you, is it? Is lying fun? San...uh...you shouldn't lie, Sheena!  
**"Stop lecturing me," she grumbled.  
"Huh? Who are you talking to?"  
**I hope you don't lie any more.**  
_Stop talking in my head! Or whatever! Who are you, anyway? Are you Corrine?_  
**Perhaps...hey, don't you think it's a nice evening out? Spend it with your beau.  
**_He's not my beau!_  
"You wanna go back?" Zelos asked.  
"I'll get there. Go on without me."  
Zelos sighed and left.  
_Was I really lying...?_  
  
Zelos, not paying attention to which room he was going in, found himself in a dark room.  
_Where's the lights? Aha, here they are. Wait...why aren't they turning on?_  
A strange sound came from underneath. Zelos cast a small Fire Ball for light.  
It was Genis, snoring, on the ground. A puddle of sleep-drool was collecting underneath him. Hanging on to him was Presea, still in the Penguinist suit. She dozed, muttering.  
Zelos moved his hand over to Genis' face, trying to find out if he really was asleep.  
"Gurr." Zelos retracted his hand. _What was that?_ He tried again.  
"Gurr!"_ Oh, it's Presea...how does she know? She's asleep._ Zelos tried again, with the same result. _Hey, this is fun!  
_Regal, who was passing by, entered. "What are you doing?"  
"Oh! Oh! Watch this!" Zelos squealed, putting his hand close to Genis and leaving it there.  
"Gurrrrrrrrrrrrr-" (here she took a breath) "urrrrrrrrr..."  
Zelos took his hand away. "Hey, hey, do that to Presea and see if Genis growls or something!"  
Regal shook his head. "Leave them be. Imagine what would happen if they woke up?" he sighed, leaving the room to cook something to eat.  
Zelos pouted. _I can do whatever I want! Bah, it's not very fun anymore._  
He satisfied himself by watching them, their chests slowly rising and falling, their kittenish yawns and their occasional shift.  
_They're so peaceful, meant to be, and all that corny stuff._  
A slushball connected with the back of his head.  
"What the..."  
Sheena giggled evilly. "I gotcha!"  
"Oh yeah?" Zelos challenged, pouncing on her. "I gotcha now!"  
"Ayeee! Help!"  
Colette exited her room timidly, wondering what the racket was about. She spied Sheena and Zelos playing an "I-pounce-on-you-and-you're-it" kind of tag and smiled softly.  
**Play now while you're still together...**

****  
**Author's notes, dood**  
In case you don't get the "Genis and Presea in a bed" joke, Sheena thought he meant "Genis and Presea in bed." Get it? Got it? Good. You know the drill-read, review, and make me a happy camper, dood.


	8. Shame on you!

**Disclaimer:** I own naughtin', dood. You prolly dun either. You can't sue me, 'cuz I'm not making any money offa this. Muhaha! Ah yes...**this chapter is more mature than the other ones, dood! Both in a funny and serious way. Nothing actually 'happens', though. **(Unless you count a "talk" of sorts.)Little ones, proceed with caution. O.o

* * *

Colette twitched. _Where am I? I'm at the entrance of Flanoir again...  
_She shivered, even if she couldn't feel the cold. She couldn't feel temperature anymore; she'd lost that this morning. She could only watch in fear as her senses deteriorated before her eyes. First, she lost her appetite, and then she couldn't feel any heat.  
_I still need sleep, though. That's odd. I thought it went hunger, sleep, touch and then voice. It won't be long until I lose that...  
_Colette got up and looked around. _There's something wrong...I don't know what, but something tragic has happened. Footprints? They're leading somewhere...  
_She followed them, unsure. _Why was I near the entrance again? I remember watching Zelos and Sheena play tag...and then it's all blank. As if I didn't exist at that time...  
_She stopped. _Wait...as if I didn't exist? Could it be...  
_A frail whine brought her back to reality.  
"Mitsmuzz?" Colette approached the puppy carefully. _No...  
_Mitsmuzz was covered in slashes, some so deep the bone showed. It was the monster all right, with its signature one slash. Colette couldn't even tell what color she was anymore, she was so bathed in blood.  
Colette held the puppy close. _I'm so sorry...  
_Mitsmuzz whined again, wheezing. Colette wondered if she could wake Raine up and see if she could patch her up. Looking at where Mitsmuzz used to lay, Colette saw a sight that made her start.  
_My chakrams? No, it can't be...  
_Stuck in the snow where her two chakrams, covered in the same crimson substance that was splashed on Mitsmuzz. Colette picked one up and carefully made a slice on the snow.  
_It's the same as all the monster's slashes...so there is no monster...just someone using my chakrams!  
_Colette felt Mitsmuzz's body go limp. _That means...I'm too late...  
_She shook uncontrollably. _What is this feeling inside of me...? It's like anger and grief and sadness and helplessness and...  
_A cry exploded out of her. It wasn't a scream; it wasn't a howl, but something akin to it. Anyone who was awake then would have assumed it was a terrible beast and locked themselves up. A shower of pearly feathers drifted to the ground.  
_Someone...help..._

Noishe sniffed the air.  
(Huff huff.)  
He opened the inn door with his teeth and went upstairs.  
(Whine.)  
Noishe sniffed each door, trying to find Lloyd.  
(Sniff sniff...sniff...sniff? Sniff...sniffsniff...) a dustbunny went up his nose. (Bark! Barkbarkbark)  
Lloyd came out of his room, yawning. "Noishe, be quiet. We're trying to sleep."  
Noishe was fighting a losing battle with the dustbunny. (Whine...)  
Lloyd walked over to him. "What's wrong, Noishe?"  
Noishe grabbed Lloyd by the shirt collar and dragged him outside.  
"Noishe! Put me down!"  
(Huff huff. Woof.)  
Lloyd relented, sighing. "Where are you taking me?"  
(Whine...)  
A shrill cry pierced the silence.  
(Bark!)  
Noishe trekked through the snow, looking for something. Dropping Lloyd, he put his nose to the ground.  
(Sniff...sniffsniff...snorf...whine. Ktchuu!) he finally sneezed the dustbunny out.  
Lloyd followed him as he tracked something. A white feather blew into his face. "What's this?"  
The feather was quite like your classic bird plume, but it was very large and slightly grayish.  
_An angel feather? Why would there be one here? _Lloyd fiddled with the feather. _It doesn't look like Remiel's...and he's the only angel other than the ones at Derris-Kharlan I can think of with feathery wings.  
_Noishe grabbed him again and led him to a small alley. (Woof.)  
"Ow! Okay! Stop dragging me!"  
The alley was littered with the white feathers. "Is anyone there?" Lloyd called, his voice echoing.  
Something twitched. A sound, which sounded a bit like a creaking door, came from it.  
"Who's there?" Lloyd inquired, coming closer. "Col...ette?"  
Colette was on her knees, clutching the limp form of Mitsmuzz in her hands. A pair of ivory wings grew out of her back, folding around her. She looked up, croaking.  
Lloyd put a finger on her lips. "If you can't talk, don't."  
_(Lloyd...I'm so sorry...)  
_"What's there to be sorry about?"  
_(You...can hear me?)  
_"Yeah. What happened?"  
_(I don't know, Mitsmuzz is dead...)  
_(Whine.)  
"It's the monster..."  
_(Lloyd...)  
_"What?"  
_(Never mind...)  
_"Can you walk?"  
_(Yes, but...)  
_"But?"  
_(Please wait...)  
_Colette buried Mitsmuzz under the snow.  
_(I'm ready to go now.)  
_"She meant a lot to you, didn't she?" Lloyd asked.  
Colette hung her head and said nothing.

Raine studied the wings extensively. "So...they just appeared?"  
_(Yes...)  
_"Did you feel anything?" the Professor continued, flexing a wing. "pain, weirdness, anything?"  
_(Ow, Professor, that hurts...)  
_"Sorry about that. But did it hurt then?"  
_(Yes, a little bit...)  
_Raine examined a feather shaft. "This is odd. These are nothing like your other wings. Speaking of which, where did they go?"  
_(I don't know. Please stop, you're making me uncomfortable.)  
_"Colette! This is for the sake of science!"  
_(I don't care! Just stop!) _she shoved the Professor away with a wing hastily. _(I'm sorry, but I don't want anyone around me for a while. Just leave me alone!) _Colette ran away to her room and locked herself in. _Does everyone care only about these new wings? I'd rather stick with the other ones, 'cuz I could hide them. Now I itch in places I can't reach anymore.  
_She could hear a soft singing from a corner.  
"You know you want to...pull the trigger...Make yer head go boom, ba-doom..." It came from a fish-shaped pot, singing in a lonely, melancholy tone.  
_(Byruu? Is that you? What are you doing here?)  
_The half-Katz jumped out of the pot. "Oh! I didn't know you would come in, mew. I'll leave if you want to..."  
_(No...it's okay, I guess...)  
_"What's up, mew? There's something wrong. And I don't mean the fact that you've got new wings and you thought-speak, mewl. What's the tragedy? You look as if your puppy got runned over."  
There was silence.  
"Ah...bull's eye?"  
Colette sighed. _(She died last night. You can have the milk bottle back.)  
_Byruu found it near her bed and pocketed it. "Here's your 4000 gald back, mew." She tossed a bag to Colette._  
(Uh, you didn't have to...it's yours...)  
_"I'm not a greedy fool, mewl. Even the lowest Katz have a sense of pride. I can't bring your puppy to life, so it's the least I can do. Mew."  
_(Thanks...by the way, you have a nice singing voice.)  
_Byruu glowed. "Ah, no I don't, mew. You're just saying that, mew."  
_(No, I mean it. Do you know any other songs?)  
_Byruu mused for a minute. "Yes...there was this one that my mam sang to me when I was a kit. If I can remember..." She chewed on a claw while trying to recollect the words. "Ah yes. It goes like this...  
**There is in all the stories a hero to be  
****Sworn to protect the seed of the great Kharlan Tree  
****Time remains a number as useless as age  
****But did you know  
****That when it snows  
****My eyes become large and  
****The light that you shine can't be seen**.  
That's all I remember, mewl..."  
Colette and Byruu pondered for a while.  
_(A number as useless as age?)  
_"Yeah, mew. Like, uh...guess how old I am."  
_(I dunno...twelve? Thirteen?)  
_"No. Guess again."  
_(Eleven? Fourteen? I don't know...)  
_"I'm actually turning 164 in a few days."  
Colette looked at Byruu in silent admiration and a bit of fear. _(You're 163? You look hardly older than Genis.)  
_"Age is just a number, mew. Heck, I still feel like I'm thirteen. Have you ever wondered how old your friend what's-her-name...Presea, is?"  
Colette nibbled on a feather that had fallen a few minutes ago. _(No...not really...if she wants to tell us, she will. It's no use asking about it if she doesn't want to talk about it, right?)  
_Byruu smiled her kittenish smile. "Huh, I thought you'd say something like that, mew. Anyway, you should be getting to sleep now. It's terribly late, mewl."  
_(You sound like the Professor, Byruu.)  
_"Hey, at least I can cook and I'm not hitting you, am I? Mewl."  
_(I didn't mean it in a bad way!)  
_"I know, I'm just kidding, mew." Byruu crawled back into the fish-shaped pot, humming random snippets of songs. Colette yawned and settled herself on her bed.  
_These wings are bothering me. I can't cover myself with a blanket, because then they'd get tangled, but I can't afford not to, 'cuz then I'd freeze! _she curled up, folding her wings around her. _That's better.  
_She felt herself fall asleep. Byruu suddenly burst into song.  
"You know you wan' oo...pull the trigger! Make yer head go boom, ba-doom! (ba doom ba doom ba doom da doo doom)... When yer head's on the floor (ba doom da doom doo doo doom) and yer brain's on the wall (ba doom da doom doo doo doom) When yer head goes boom!"  
_(Byruu, stop that!)  
_"Eheheh...sorry!"

Lloyd woke up on the floor. _What the...  
_He scrambled onto his bed and tried to fall asleep again. _Something's missing...  
_He felt around for his pillow. _It's not here! _Grumbling, he got up and trudged to Colette's room.  
_I have a feeling that she's got it..._

Colette stretched awake. _I'm sore...in places I didn't even know I had...and in some places I never had before...  
_She rolled over, sighing. _(Wait...how come I have two pillows?)  
_Byruu was poking around the room, exploring. "You got up in the middle of the night and came back with it, mew."  
There was a knock at the door. Byruu yelped and jumped back into her pot. Colette hid the pillow.  
"Colette, can I come in?" Lloyd's voice asked from behind the door.  
_(Yes, the door should be open...)  
_Lloyd entered. "Hey, Colette. Are you okay now?"  
_(What? Oh...yesterday...I'm sorry I got mad.)  
_"The Professor can get annoying sometimes. Anyway, I was wondering if you knew where my pillow went?"  
Byruu peered out of the pot, listening.  
Colette flapped her wings in thought. _(No, I haven't. Maybe Genis took it?)  
_Lloyd thanked her and left.  
"Why'd you lie, mew?"  
_(I did?)  
_"The extra pillow is Lloyd's!"  
_(Is it really? Oh well. It's mine now!)_ she hugged it. _(Mineminemine!)  
_"It's just a pillow, mew!"  
Colette had alread fallen asleep while holding her new pillow. Byruu bit her lip, but said nothing else. She crawled back into the fish-shaped pot and sighed.

"Why don't you just get a new one?" Raine sighed, looking up from her book.  
"Wait. One last time," Lloyd gasped, getting up. "I'm sure that it's in Colette's room, but she said it wasn't..."  
"Look again," the Professor snorted in a 'look-past-your-own-nose-for-once-in-your-life,-you-dumbutt' tone.  
Lloyd knocked on her door again. "Colette?"  
_(Come...in...!)  
_"Colette? What's wrong?" Lloyd worried, entering.  
She was sitting up, trying to reach behind a wing. Lloyd noticed that there were some feathers pointing the wrong way, which was probably causing her acute discomfort. He tweaked them so that they faced the other way. Apparently, that wasn't what she was trying to do, because she made a whining noise and flapped her wings impatiently.  
"What is it?"  
_(I can't scratch...!)  
_Lloyd scratched at the places where he guessed were irritating her.  
_(I'm so glad you came right then...you know where all the itchy spots are.)  
_"I came to ask if you found my pillow."  
_(It's mine now!)  
_"What?"  
Colette hugged it and covered herself with her wings. _(It's mine!)  
_Lloyd pounced on her. "Give it back!"  
_(Ow! Stop!)  
_"Give it!"  
_(I told you, it's mine now!)  
_Lloyd tickled her belly. "Fine! You leave me no choice!"  
Colette froze. A tingly feeling crawled up his hand. At first it was a soft, ignorable sensation, but then it grew into something that screamed to be noticed. It was a kaleidoscope of feelings-a shy, innocent happiness, a sleepy calm, a dizzying giddiness, and-something that made Lloyd take his hand away-a nostalgic loneliness.  
Colette looked up. _(Lloyd, what's wrong?) _she asked, unaware of what she was doing to him.  
Lloyd shook his head. "Uh...nothing."  
_(Don't stop then! It feels so nice!)_ She put his hand on her stomach again. Lloyd sighed and continued. Colette let out a happy gurgle and fell asleep with a soft smile on her face.  
"What was _that_ about...?"  
He tried to take the pillow away from her, but she had an iron grip on it.  
"Give up. She has it and you can't do scratch, mew. She loffs it, she does."  
He turned to see Byruu up and about. "What are you doing here?"  
"I'm looking for summat...aha, here it is, mew." She pulled out a bag of coins from under the bed. "You're the one that paid for the milk, right? Here's your refund."  
Lloyd looked at her funny. "A generous Katz! I learn something new every day!"  
"I ain't a Katz, mew! HALF-KATZ!" she spat.  
"Say it, don't spray it," Lloyd said, wiping spittle off his suit.  
"Get it right. If you don't, I'll sharpen my claws on your leg or some other body part," she hissed.  
"You're proud to be a Halfling?"  
"Well, yeah, mew! Being totally human means I have no tail, and I love my tail. Being totally Katz means I have to report to the Katz' Village every two months to see if the mayor wants me to work. I've got the best of both worlds, mewl."  
Lloyd scratched his head. "They have to go there every two months?"  
"Yeppers, mew. But I'm a half-Katz, so no one really pays attention to what I do. I can do whatever I want, basically!" she leaped back into the fish-shaped pot, singing 'Pull the Trigger' ((I'm too lazy to write it out, dood, and you're probably sick of reading it.))  
Lloyd exited the room. _Should I tell the others about this?_

"So, you just rubbed her tummy and she fell asleep?" Raine asked.  
"Yeah, I guess so," Lloyd blew on his coffee to cool it.  
"And you say she's been acting weird lately?"  
"That too."  
Everyone thought (or just didn't care at the moment) for a bit.  
Raine chewed on her spoon. "Could it be...?"  
"What?"  
"I'm not sure, but...she might be pregnant?"  
There was silence for an eternity.  
"It wasn't me!" Zelos yelped, jumping into Sheena's arms. However, she was not prepared and they ended up in a heap.  
Genis glomped Presea, who chewed on a brownie, oblivious.  
Regal looked up from the soup he was tending to.  
Lloyd whimpered and tried to flee, but his legs rooted him to the spot.  
"So...Lloyd...was it you?"  
Zelos opened his mouth to say something, but Sheena elbowed him sharply.  
Lloyd shuffled uneasily.  
"Go on, spit it out..."  
"I might of thought about it once, but I didn't do it!" Lloyd blurted.  
There was a collective gasp from everyone. Lloyd clapped his hands over his mouth.  
"For shame, Lloyd! You're not supposed to say that out loud!" Zelos scolded.  
"Men," Sheena snorted. "they can't go fifteen seconds without having a dirty thought."  
Genis hugged Presea tightly. "I don't think about it every _fifteen _seconds!"  
There was another collective gasp. Presea and Genis blushed a deep scarlet and she bolted the brownie.  
"Genis! Big no-no!"  
Presea hid her face behind the cookie tin. "What makes you think that, Professor?"  
Raine chewed on her spoon again. "I'm just guessing. I know if you stroke the abdominal region of an expectant mother, it's supposed to be extremely relaxing for her. As for the whole holding Lloyd's pillow hostage bit, I've heard of animals taking objects and pretending that they're cubs or pups during the last few stages of pregnancy."  
Sheena tried to shove Zelos off her. "But if it's so late, why didn't she show any signs?"  
A faint rattling sound brought everyone's attention. It came from a bird-shaped jar.  
Lloyd examined it. "Byruu?"  
On cue, the half-Katz appeared out of the jar. "Two words: False Pregnancy. Mew."  
"Isn't that three words?"  
Byruu did a jig of annoyance. "Ah, you know what I'm talking about, mewl!"  
Genis looked at Byruu. "You're not a Katz, are you?"  
Byruu tweaked his nose. "Half-Katz. You could say we're alike, mew."  
Genis sniffled and held his nose, which hurt quite a bit.  
Raine held Byruu by the tail. "Interesting! A half-Katz? I didn't know they existed!"  
"Ouch! The tail isn't strictly ornamental, mew!"  
Raine let her go. "How did you know?"  
"Well, it's only _just_ my tail!"  
"No, about Colette."  
Byruu gobbled the rest of the contents of the cookie tin. "Can't tell you. Farewell!" she spun and vanished.  
"Come back here! I wanted a biscuit!"

Byruu poked Colette. "Wakey wakey!"  
Colette groaned and shifted.  
"Hrmmm...Ah!" Byruu positioned herself beside her ear. "Ahem...  
YOU KNOW YOU WAN' OO...PULL THE TRIGGER!"  
_(Waiiii! What was that?)  
_"Trying to wake you up, mew."  
_(Why? You woke me up from a nice dream.)  
_"Well, you have to get up eventually, you lazy bum. And you need to eat, too."  
_(Well, I don't need to eat anymore. Thanks for caring, though. Oh, and...Byruu?)  
_"Wut?"  
_(You're a half-Katz, right?)  
_"Yes, that's right..."  
_(How...does...that work?)  
_Byruu was still and silent. The only thing that betrayed her thoughts was her tail, which wriggled with great energy. "Ooooh! You want to know how my mam and sire got together, right?"  
_(Well...yes?)  
_"Um, I don't know all the details, but it went a little like this, according to my mam. Okay, so, she's in the Meltokio sewers, right? Why I dunno, mew. And then she gets surrounded by a whole hoard of sewer rats. And then, out of the blue, her knight in shining armor arrives! Well, uh, slick, silky fur."  
_(I wish my knight would come and save me like that...)_ Colette sighed.  
Byruu smiled her kittenish smile. "And then he went and eated up all them rats. It was love at first sight."  
_(Eat all the rats? Gruesome...)  
_"Hey, it's either that or kill 'em, right?"  
_(I don't know, the mental image of this 'knight in shining armor' works best if he's surrounded by his fallen enemies, not having those enemies in his stomach...?)  
_Someone knocked on the door. "Colette? Are you awake?"  
Byruu opened the door, staying behind it.  
_(What is it, Professor?)  
_"Yeah, what she said, mew!"  
Raine turned to look at the speaker. A mysterious glint shined in her eye.  
_(Byruu, run!)  
_"Mew?"  
"It's the half-Katz!" the Professor squealed, pinning Byruu down. "to think you were in her room all this time...how come I didn't notice?"  
Byruu flailed about. "Nuuu! I dun wanna be a research specimen, mewl!"  
"Too bad!"  
_(Professor! Bad!)_ Colette thought-shouted, prying them away from each other. _(she's my friend!)  
_Raine stepped away. "Sorry about that. Can't contain my scholarly inquisitiveness. Anyway, I have to tell you something, Colette..."

**Author's notes, dood (aka you listen or else!)  
**Anyone who guessed I had fun writing this chapter, you get a point.  
TerreSynn: o.o ..., ...!  
Urby: Wut?  
TerreSynn: (points to the reviews) o.O ...! ...? .-.  
Urby: So's I got reviews. Big whoop. (yes it is, in fact. Me loffs reviews!)  
TerreSynn: (points frantically to Green Mage's review) O.O !!! ..., ?  
Urby: Gasp! Okay, anyone who guessed Colette was the monster gets half a point. Why? It's not Colette. But you're as close as you can get with what you know so far.  
TerreSynn: ...!  
Urby: You know the drill-read, review, and make me a happy camper. Waiiii!


	9. Useless Chosen

**

* * *

Disclaimer:** Yadayadayada, I own nothing blahblahblah, boo hoo, yakkityyakkity, let's get on with the story dood.

* * *

Lloyd sat near his window, looking at the snowstorm outside. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.  
"So, young despoiler of virgins! What's up today?"  
"Get away from me," Lloyd seethed.  
Zelos seated himself near him, looking out the window. "Geez. You really are a boring guy, Lloyd."  
Lloyd sighed and looked at Zelos. "So, uh...you said that I wasn't supposed to say that one thing...so is there anything else I should watch out for?"  
Zelos looked flattered. "You're asking me?"  
"I mean, you'd know, 'cuz that's all you do, and stuff..."  
Zelos cuffed him. "That's not _all_ I do!" 

Colette looked at her feet. _(So...that's what's happening to me?)  
_Raine nodded. "By the way, you seem to have recovered from your cold..." she put a hand on Colette's forehead. "it's completely gone."  
Byruu yawned and stretched. "What's a cold?"  
Colette looked at Byruu questioningly. _(It's a sickness that people get. You've never been sick before?)  
_Byruu shook her head. "No, mew."  
Raine pounced on her. "This is amazing! Half-Katz have immunity to illness? I must find out more!"  
"Mew, I thought we went through this already, mew!"  
Raine sighed and let her go. "Very sorry...can't help it..."  
Byruu scratched an ear. "Is being sick fun?"  
_(It's nice sometimes when it's not too bad...then everyone takes care of you and does your bidding!)  
_"Like, 'Go get me some milk, mew!'"  
_(Yeah, yeah, like that! But if it's really bad then that's terrible...'cuz then the Prof gives you all these medications and you feel even worse! And then she gives you even more!)  
_"Yeew, mew!"  
"I heard that!"

"Presea?"  
She turned. "What is it, Genis? It's late; you should be asleep by now."  
"Uh...have you ever...kissed someone before?"  
Presea looked at him quizzically. "Why? Do you want to know how it feels like?"  
Genis shuffled. "Uh..."  
Presea smiled gently. "Well, if you really need to know," she said, coming closer to him. Genis gasped softly and braced himself.  
"Why are you afraid?"  
Genis sighed and shook his head. "Not..."  
She leaded over and gave him a kiss. For how long she didn't know, but it felt nice. (wow, all I can say is "nice"...I need to find some talent in my little brain sumwheres...)  
"I feel all fuzzy," Genis managed before went out cold.  
"Genis! Genis! Wake up!"  
"You rotten girl," Zelos sneered from a corner.  
"You...watched that?" she nearly shrieked.  
"The whole thing," Zelos grinned.  
Presea twitched. Growling, she ran up and slapped him.  
"Hey! That's my job!" Sheena snorted, entering.  
Zelos whined and sat in a corner, afraid.  
Sheena poked Genis worriedly. "What happened to him?"  
Presea blushed and hid her face. "My fault..."  
Sheena looked at him, and then at her, and put two and two together. "Oh...Presea, you shouldn't be doing that! He's only twelve!"  
"He asked..."  
Colette poked her head in, along with Raine and Byruu. _(What's going on? I heard voices...)  
_"I kissed him," Presea said flatly.  
Byruu looked at her with fear. "That ugly mug?" she yowled, pointing at Zelos.  
"I'm not ugly!" Zelos fumed.  
"Not him, dolt," Raine hissed. "nobody sane would ever want to smooch him."  
Zelos whimpered and tiptoed out.  
"So...that leaves just us, mew."  
_(I guess so...)_ Colette shut the door with a wing.  
"By the way, what's that in your hand?"  
Colette took a step back. _(Uh...I was really, really hungry for something sweet and crumbly...so I made some brownies?)  
_"Plunk it on the floor and let us have some, mew! So, while we're on the subject, when was your first kiss, Sheena?" Byruu mewed.  
Sheena growled and said nothing. Byruu mewled softly and retreated behind Colette.  
Byruu looked at Raine hopefully. "You, mew?"  
Raine took a paddle out of nowhere and smacked her with it. "Don't even think about it!"  
Byruu hid in Colette's pillow. "Help me!"  
Colette shook her out. _(Help yourself!)  
_Byruu squeaked, fleeing from Raine. "First you want to experiment on me, now you wanna kill me, mew!"  
Presea grabbed her by the shirt hem. "Sit. Stay. Shut up."  
Byruu sat, fearing the tone of Presea's voice.  
"Colette...what about you?"  
Colette started. _(Um...uh...what are we talking about?)  
_"When was your first kiss?" Byruu asked smugly.  
Colette buried her face in her pillow. _(I...haven't had one yet...)  
_There was silence for an eternity.  
"Scandalous!" Byruu gasped. "Lloyd, get in here!"  
_(No!)_ Colette covered Byruu's mouth with a wing. _(Don't! If it happens, I want it to be sincere!)  
_Another one of the dreaded silences.  
"You mean, 'when'?" Raine asked.  
_(If...)  
_"Colette! It will happen!" Byruu said, grabbing her shoulders and looking her in the eye. "do you expect us to believe you'll stay innocent and pure all your life, mew?"  
Colette hung her head. _(Ah...uh...)  
_"You goof! If you don't act now, some ugly, perverted old geezer will steal your first kiss, mew! Someone like..."  
"Zelos," everyone said together.  
"I'm not old!" he shouted from another room.  
"You've been awful silent, Presea," Byruu purred.  
"Talking prevents you from eating," she said, reaching for the last brownie.  
"Hey! Gimme that!"

Lloyd let the snow fall on his face. Snow relaxed him. Perhaps it was because how it fell, or was it because it lasted only for a second if it touched you?  
_(Lloyd? What are you doing?)  
_Lloyd turned to see Colette standing near him, using a wing to protect him from the falling snow.  
"Just sitting...enjoying the snow."  
_(Is it...nice?)  
_Lloyd looked at her quizzically. "What?"  
_(I can't feel it. Is it nice?)  
_Lloyd nodded, closing his eyes. "Yeah...not too cold, kinda soft..."  
_(Good, because if I die of hypothermia, it's your fault for not warning me!)  
_He chuckled, gazing into Colette's mock-serious face.  
_(So...what brings you here?)  
_"Oh...nothing. I just like to see snow fall."  
Colette looked up. _(It's calming.)_ She flapped her wings in a happy manner, smiling.  
"You still have that pillow?" Lloyd asked, pointing at it.  
Colette looked at it. _(Yeah...I can't leave it alone; even for a second...Raine says it's my imaginary child to take the place of Mitsmuzz...)  
_She made a noise that sounded like a cross between a sob and a choke.  
"Colette?"  
_(I'm fine...I just miss her a bit, that's all.)  
_Lloyd held her for a bit. "I bet she misses you too."  
_(Why'd she have to die...?)  
_"Lloyd! Lloyd, get over here!" someone called from inside.  
"I'm coming!" Lloyd called. "Will you be okay?" he said to Colette.  
_(Yes...go on without me.)  
_Lloyd went to answer whoever called for him.

**Ugh! Look at them! It just makes me want to puke!  
****Hush, brother, they might hear!  
****I don't care. Can't we just kill 'em now and be done with it?  
****Kill? ...No! C'mon! Let's let them live for a few more days?  
****Fine. I'll give them until I'm fed up with them. And the way they're going about it, that won't be very long!**

Lloyd stepped in. "What happened?"  
"Look," Raine motioned, pointing at a three slashes on the wall. "What does this remind you of?"  
Lloyd examined them closely. _Three slashes...look kinda ordinary...all made separately, or with a one-clawed hand or paw...  
_"The monster!" Lloyd cried.  
"Yes. Now look at the slash."  
Lloyd walked over to the wall, studying one of them. "It's not smooth. It's serrated."  
"Very good. Now look what I found right next to it," the Professor pulled out two chakrams.  
Lloyd froze. "Those are the ones Colette has at the moment..."  
"So, that must mean...?"  
Lloyd shook his head. "It's not her!"  
"I'm not saying it is. But someone is using these."  
Lloyd paced. "But why, of all weapons, the chakram? I mean, I can think up of ways to make even a card look like a claw. A circley-thingy isn't too efficient for that kind of thing. Chakrams aren't too sharp."  
Raine sighed, looking at one of them and tossing it lightly. "Well, that's the 'monster's weapon of choice, apparently. Funny though, how it got us all except you and Regal?"  
Lloyd took a step back. "No way."  
"Well, that's just something to think about. Now, I need to go and get my brother..." she got up and left, leaving the chakrams on the floor.  
Lloyd picked them up, gripping them as he'd seen Colette do. _They don't feel comfortable...it can't be me...but who?_

Colette flopped on her bed, sighing a sigh that made Byruu peer out of her pot in worry.  
"What happened, mew?"  
Colette curled up. _(I don't know. I feel tired, miserable, and helpless. I don't know why, and I can't tell anyone because I don't know what's wrong with me.)  
_Byruu's tail wriggled with a life of its own. "I know what you mean..."  
_(I'm tired, but I can't fall asleep...do you have something that'll knock me out for a while?)  
_Byruu itched an ear with her tail. "Well, uh...I don't know any lullabies...sorry. I can't help you there."  
_(Don't worry. I think I can just lie here and pretend to rest and maybe it'll make me feel better.)  
_Byruu whined and climbed up next to her. "You sure you'll be okay, mewl?"  
_(Yes...stop worrying about me!)_ Colette pulled on her tail playfully. _(That frown doesn't look good on you.)  
_"Owie! The tail isn't an accessory, mew!"

Colette woke suddenly. _Something's wrong!  
_She looked around in the darkness, trying to find out what worried her so much.  
She was aware of something amiss in the pillow she was holding. _(This...isn't the right pillow!) _she unconsciously thought-shrieked.  
"Pipe down, will yer?" Byruu growled from her fish-shaped pot.  
Colette dashed out to the hall, trying to find Lloyd's room. She rammed down the door, panting.  
_(You...give it back!)_ she lifted him up, took the pillow in his possession (which was the one she was looking for) and plopped him on the ground, returning to her room.  
Byruu was grinning from ear to ear.  
_(What?)  
_"Just watching you being a responsible parent..."  
Colette flushed. _(That...was kind of silly...now that I think about it...)  
_"You'll make a good mother, mew. Just imagine-lil' baby Lloyds and Colettes running around, causing all sorts of trouble, mew!"  
Colette hid her face behind her wing. _(I...no...that's just...that's just ridiculous!)  
_Byruu retreated into her pot and said nothing more.

* * *

"Don't open your eyes, mew."  
_(Why? Did I fall asleep? I feel numb.)  
_"Yeah. It's morning. But whatever you do, don't open your eyes. It's not pretty, mew."  
_(What? Byruu, tell me what's going on!)  
_"Raine's coming, mew. You got all slashed up and it's really bad."  
_(That's why I feel numb...)  
_Colette shook her head groggily and tried to get up. Something pushed her back down.  
"Don't even think about it," Raine's voice scolded. "you are in no shape whatsoever to get up."  
Colette flapped her wings, struggling. _(What's going on? Why can't I get up? Please, someone tell me!)  
_Colette opened one eye to see what was happening, and immediately closed it. All she saw was crimson. She shivered and curled up.  
"Told you not to open your eyes," Byruu meowed.  
"What interests me is this message here on the wall," Raine walked away, stopping before the door. "it's written with your blood, Colette."  
Colette whimpered, shivering. _(And...?)  
_"It tells us to leave this place in two different kinds of handwriting," Raine continued. "and then there are six scratches. Three thick ones slanting up to the left and three fine ones slanting to the right. The thick ones were done hastily, as if there wasn't enough time, but the thin ones were made with careful precision. Kind of odd, don't you think?"  
Colette wiped her face on her blanket. _Why me? Why not someone else...? I'm tired of being attacked and just tired in general. I wish I could just disappear for a while..._

**You want to disappear? I can make that happen...**

"Are you sure, mew?"  
_(Yes, we're leaving. The inn is mad at us for messing up their room and scaring the customers, and the monster made it plain we can't stay here.)  
_Byruu's ears drooped. "I wish I could come with you, but my place is here, mewl..."  
_(Why don't you hold on to my pillow for a while?)_ Colette handed her the pillow, smiling softly. _(it'll give you something to do.)  
_Byruu held it, looking at Colette. "You sure? After all you've gone through to protect it?"  
_(Yes. I have to let go of it someday...and I don't think the inn would be too pleased if I ran away with one of their pillows.)  
_Byruu wagged her tail. "Happy travels. I'll keep it safe, mew. Be sure to examine any fish pots or bird jars on your way."  
_(Thanks. I won't forget you.)  
_"You say that as if you'll never see me again, mew. Don't fret your lil' head. That frown doesn't look good on you!"

Camping out in the wilderness wasn't always very comfortable, but after a few weeks of being cooped up in Flanoir it was a welcome change. Colette enjoyed the fresh, un-snowy air. Nice, dry air. After all that moistness, it felt good. She gave her wings a flap, relishing how the wind played with her feathers.  
She felt odd all of a sudden, as if her clothes vanished in front of an attentive crowd. Or something equally embarrassing.  
_I'm trying to tell myself something, but what I can't tell. Oh, I wish either I was smart enough to know, or I'd be smart enough to tell myself!  
_"Colette! Your dinner's getting cold!"  
_(Coming!)  
_She turned to look behind her, having an instinctive feeling of being watched. _I wish I would hurry up and tell myself what's wrong!_

Colette trudged behind, utterly exhausted. The others chatted aimlessly ahead, not waiting for her.  
_It's like they don't know or care I'm here. That's not like them...  
_The ground under her vanished. She shrieked, clawing the earth in front of her, trying to find something to hang on to.  
The rest of the group stopped, turning.  
_Well, that's good news. I got their attention.  
__(Help,)_ Colette thought-whimpered.  
Lloyd walked over to her and stepped on one of her hands. Sure, it prevented her from slipping any further, but it hurt quite a bit.  
"Why should we help you?" he asked.  
Colette gulped. _(Because...I'm your friend...)  
_"Friend?" Lloyd growled. "you're just a no-good,"  
"Ugly," Sheena snorted.  
"Ditzy," Genis sneered.  
"Flat," Zelos added.  
"Stupid," Raine spat.  
"Incompetent," Presea seethed.  
"Pathetic excuse for a Chosen," Regal finished.  
"In other words," Lloyd slowly lifted up his foot, letting Colette sink into the hole of nothingness. "we don't need you anymore."  
Colette fell, too shocked to care about anything. She hit solid ground after an age. Shivering, she sat up, feeling so terribly _alone_ that it made her sick. She wrapped herself with her wings, trying to fight off the tears and failing miserably.  
"Missus? Why are you crying?"  
She uncurled to see a small, grey-haired boy sitting next to her. On the right side of his face was a cross-shaped scar.  
_(I...I'm just...lonely.)  
_"So am I," the little boy sighed. "no one comes here. Except you."  
Colette dried her eyes on her sleeve. _(How long have you been here?)  
_The boy chewed on his thumb. "I dunno...three thousand years?"  
Colette hung her head. _Three thousand years in a pit of nothingness...must be terribly boring.  
_"Are you a Chosen, missus?"  
Colette looked up. _(Ah...yes. I'm a stupid, useless Chosen that can't do anything. Stupid, stupid Chosen...)  
_"A Chosen is a vessel for Martel, right? That's what they do?"  
Colette nodded.  
"Then...can you be a vessel for me?"  
_(What do you mean?)  
_The boy twirled a finger through his hair. "I'm a spirit. Name's Sanguine. I want to see what's up there," he pointed upward. "will you be a vessel for me? You can fly, right?"  
Colette curled up in thought.  
_(Okay...after all, that's what the Chosen is supposed to do...)  
_Sanguine smiled. "So you, the Chosen, grant me permission to take your body?"  
Colette nodded. _(Go ahead.)  
_Sanguine melted into her, taking control.  
**Heh, what a gullible child...show her an illusion and she'll do anything. Now that I got her permission, I can do what I've been wanting to do for a long time...**

"Where are you?" Lloyd called.  
"Lloyd, stop shouting and go to sleep!"  
"I want to know where Colette is!"  
"She must of gotten lost or something. Now shut up and go to bed!"  
Lloyd crawled into his tent and tried to fall asleep. _Come back soon..._

He woke suddenly. _Wha? I'm bound...  
_His arms were pinned uselessly to his feet, preventing him from standing. Something picked him up and looked at him in the eye.  
"Put me down! Wha...is it you, Colette?"  
She brought his ear close to her mouth and whispered a gentle whisper that chilled his blood.  
"Lloyd Irving, is it not? Colette has told me much about you."

* * *

**Author's ramblings and responses to reviews:**

Urby: Dun dunn dunn! I love cliffhangers. And I am terribly sorry for the horrible kissing scene-I don't have personal experiance, see.  
Seldom: Oh yeah? (hangs Urby off a cliff) Dun dunn dunn!  
Urby: Waiiii! Why are you here? I thought I got rid of you!  
Seldom: The fans like me. Ph33r the frying pan of doom.  
Urby: Well, one! No matter anymore...just get me back up, I'll do anything!  
Seldom: Even let me hit you with a frying pan?  
Urby: Don't try your luck.  
Seldom: Aww, man. Okay, just respond to reviews.  
Urby: That I can do.

**Lil-Samuu:** (dances) Finally, you reviewed on Crimson! Yosh! Anyway...yes, Pull the Trigger gets annoying after a while...  
**The Anonymous dood that has no name:** She's not a werewolf...although that would be cool! Maybe that's what I should write next...  
**Green Magi:** Thanks fer your support, dood. She falls asleep before each attack? I wasn't paying too much attention, just making her hit the snooze every once in a while. You get a half-point for guessing that she has a spirit thing to do the attacks.  
**crimson-88:** I appreciate your effort...


	10. Crimson

**Disclaimer thingy:** I do not own TOS. I'd like to, but I don't. Boo hoo.  
Yes, I am aware that Sanguine and (insert name here) are in the bodies of two female people, but I will refer to them as "he" because they are masculine spirits.  
**Spoiler Alert:** If you do not know what Lloyd's Exsphere does, go turn your lil' tushy around and go beat the game. Unless you want to be spoiled. Ye hath been warned, little cricket!  
**Responses to reviews:** I decided to put them up here. So!

**Lil-Samuu: **It's nice to hear my stuff is cute from the queen of fluff. X3 and don't worry, Colette'll be alright. How? Read on...  
**Devil Angel M:** Sook! Someone I look up to reviewed! (dance dance) as for the whole adding more description part, I'm not that good at describing things. I will try a bit in this chapter. Remember, you asked for it!  
**Green Magi:** Don't worry, it's not a spoiler for me. I've beaten the game and have done so for a while. Thanks for your compliments and what. And yes, only time will tell...  
**Anonymous:** I updated. Happy?  
**Amazon Bunny:** Here I'm expecting something among the lines of "UPDATE, DOOD" and here I get someone asking for Kraine fluff. Not like I oppose it or anything, but was just so completely random...and unexpected...  
**Rainbow Pheonix: **Your threat might work better if I had any babies, but it's a threat all the same. That means I'm doing something right. Yosh. (By the way, isn't it "Phoenix"?)

* * *

"Who are you?" Lloyd whimpered.  
"Do you really need to know?" Colette's voice snorted. "I am the first half of the Summon Spirit of Emotions, Crimson. My name is Sanguine. Is that enough for you?"  
Lloyd tried to get his hands free. "Never heard of you."  
Sanguine noticed Lloyd wriggling his hands around and guessed what he was doing. "Don't make this harder than it needs to be," he said, flipping Lloyd upside down and prying his hands away from his feet. "I don't want to kill you. It's just what I was told to do."  
"Then if you didn't want to do it, why didn't you refuse?" Lloyd asked, feeling the blood go to his head.  
Sanguine glared at him. "Do you have any idea what happens to a Summon Spirit when it disobeys its master?"  
Lloyd said nothing.  
Sanguine brought Lloyd close to his face again. "Living...hell. In all of its waking splendor."  
Lloyd struggled. "Let me go! And where's Colette?"  
"Colette is in front of you. Now pipe down!"  
"You're not Colette!" Lloyd shouted. "where is she?"  
"What's the fuss about?" Raine yawned sleepily, poking her head out of her tent. "Colette? What are you doing with Lloyd?"  
"It's not Colette!"  
Sanguine sighed and shook his head. "You're going to make this difficult, aren't you?"  
Raine yelped and tumbled out of her tent, floating a little off the ground. Sanguine concentrated briefly and flung her next to Lloyd. Raine squirmed, now bound in the same way as he was.  
"What the heck is going on?" Zelos yelled, running out along with some of the others.  
Sanguine turned, politely suggesting that they do some highly improbable, athletically difficult in most cases, biologically impractical, and extremely graphic things with their mothers.  
Everyone froze. That was enough for Sanguine. He immediately tied their hands to their feet with his funky little mind spell, and tossed them all in a heap.  
"I...didn't 's education involved _that_," Zelos commented.  
"That's not Colette!"  
"Who are you?" Genis asked dumbly after a thoughtful silence.  
Sanguine cocked his head, and then sighed. "Fine! Since you're all so damn curious, I'll give you ten minutes to ask all the questions you want. Ten, that's it. Then, I'll dispose of you all. 'Sides, people taste better when they know more about what's going on. Ask, and let my answers enlighten."  
"Taste better?" Zelos gulped.  
"Well, duhh," Sanguine explained, exasperated. "I'm your so-called 'monster'," he waved his hands for emphasis. "why the heck would I get'cha all if I wasn't going to eat you?"  
"You forgot Regal and I," Lloyd noted.  
Sanguine turned. "Really? I have?" he picked up Lloyd by the shirt collar, examining him. After looking at him for a few minutes, he bit Lloyd on the neck.  
Lloyd gasped, but kept his mouth shut.  
"Whoa! It's like that one dream you had, Lloyd!" Zelos remarked.  
Sanguine dropped Lloyd. "Ick. I won't even bother with the other one. You taste awful. So, now that that's over with, ask away."  
"Uhm," Genis began. "who...or what...are you?"  
Sanguine sighed. "I am part of the Summon Spirit, Crimson. The name's Sanguine, nice to meecha." he knelt and shook Genis' hand.  
"Part? Are you like Luna and Aska?"  
Sanguine chewed on a piece of hair. "Not really...both of us can combine if we want to. Luna and Aska are two separate entities."  
"Who is the other part?" Raine inquired.  
"Susa," Sanguine answered. "funny, I haven't felt his presence for a while now. Wonder if he's gone?"  
Lloyd sat up, trying to rub his neck. "Why did you eat those funny things? Like the stick and the bell?"  
Sanguine licked his lips. "They had a bit of mana in them. The bell belonged to Corrine; the little mage-brat burned the stick. Summon Spirits have to consume mana from somewhere, and I couldn't attack someone then."  
"I'm not a brat!" Genis seethed.  
"Short, mouthy nuisance," Sanguine corrected himself, patting him on the head and smiling innocently. Genis glared at him but said nothing else.  
"Why did you pick Colette?" Presea asked. "out of all of us, why did you pick her?"  
Sanguine was silent for a while.  
"Because...I felt like it. And because I was told to," he walked over to each of them, stating why he wouldn't choose that person. "Zelos, he's just a perverted bastard, I already mentioned I don't like the mage-brat..."  
"He has a name! It's Genis!" Presea snarled.  
Sanguine went on, ignoring her, counting off the reasons off his fingers as he twirled a chakram in the air. "Couldn't pick Raine, I thought Susa took her already. Apparently not. Presea's a bit too bland for my tastes...Regal's just plain weird...and I can't pick Lloyd 'cuz I have to kill him. There."  
There was a moment of quiet.  
"Why would you attack your own host?" Raine questioned.  
Sanguine turned sharply. "Huh?"  
"If you're the monster, and Colette is your avatar, why did you attack her?"  
Sanguine looked to the sky for an answer. "Uhh...I think it's because...oh yeah, I needed to take her senses away from her. That way I could see and hear what's going on. The fastest and easiest way was to consume the blood and all that jazz. That and she was tasty! As was the mage-brat, the puppy and..."  
"Stop!" Lloyd cried. "We don't need or want to know that!"  
Sanguine licked his lips again but said nothing else, mercifully.  
There was another moment of quiet.  
"Last question," Sanguine grinned. "then I get to have fun deciding what to do with you."  
There was a nervous shift and a big drop of water landed on Raine's head.  
"Rain," she said off-handedly.  
Zelos shivered and shook the rain off his head, irritated. "Where's Sheena?"

**Sheena, Sheena, wake up!  
**Sheena opened her eyes to see a small dog in front of her, licking her face. It had a few black spots here and there, the most prominent being a crescent-moon shape with a red blot near it on its forehead.  
_It's you, that Corrine thing...leave me alone!  
_**No, no, it's reaaaaally important! Uber important! Ants in your pants and all that important!  
**_Not as important as my sleep. Leave me alone!  
_**Your friends are in danger! Please, get up!  
**_Riiight...and pigs are flying in parade formation around the moon right now. Good night!  
_**Awww! Come on! Um...do you, Sheena Fujibayashi, give me permission to take your body for a minute?**_  
Alright, fine! Just go away!  
_**I'm really terribly sorry, but you won't be getting too much sleep tonight. Forgive me!**

Sanguine backed up. "Excuse me?"  
"You heard me," Zelos snorted. "where's Sheena?"  
Sanguine blinked. "I don't know. Now, how should I kill you all? Chopping up? Dicing? Or should I let you all bleed to death?"  
A card flew by his nose, cutting a few hairs off.  
Sanguine growled, spinning around. "Susa!"  
"Sheena?" Zelos said hopefully.  
"I'm not Sheena," Susa replied. "sorry about that."  
Sanguine got into a fighting position. "So, Susa. You're going to stop me, I presume."  
Susa assumed a defensive pose. "Well, since no one else is going to do it..."  
Sanguine flung himself at Susa, roaring. However, hearing that out of Colette made it sound like some sort of battle-squeak. Susa blocked the blows Sanguine threw at him, backing up a few steps every once in a while.  
"Whoa...catfight!" Zelos grinned.  
"Your battle of shields won't last forever, Susa!" Sanguine challenged.  
Susa said nothing, instead grabbing Sanguine's wing and flinging him a few yards. Instantly Sanguine was on his feet again, back in the fight.  
"Now, Genis," Raine hissed. "both the halves are here, cast the containment spell!"  
Genis sat up. "I don't have my kendama with me; I can't do it without it!"  
Raine cuffed him the best she could in her current position. "That toy only makes it so that your spell is 'quieter'. You can still cast without it!"  
Genis watched Sanguine and Susa fighting. "I haven't memorized the entire thing..."  
"We both read it," Raine assured him. "we'll do it together, it'll be faster that way."  
Genis sighed and went into a casting trance. The spell circle drew itself, glowing brightly.  
Sanguine turned, sensing the change of the flow of mana. "You...I know what you're up to!" he flung two Pow Hammer at them both, hitting them both on the forehead. It was enough to snap Genis from his trance and make the spell circle disappear. Without skipping a beat, Sanguine returned to his battle with Susa.  
Raine got up, shaking her head to clear it. "Genis, up you go. We have to try again."  
Genis moaned and stayed put. "Don't wanna. Head hurts too bad."  
"Gotcha!" Sanguine smirked, pinning Susa to the ground. "Any last words before I chop your worthless head off?"  
Susa panted and gulped. "That I can't believe you beat me...with that stupid avatar of yours..."  
Sanguine placed a chakram dangerously close to Susa's neck. "Say that again?"  
"You said so yourself that she's useless," Susa wheezed, inching away from the sharp point. "and you hide behind her to defeat me? That's weak."  
Sanguine snorted. "I can kick your sorry ass any old day, any old form! Call it!"  
Susa tried to wriggle into a more comfortable position. "How about your Crimson form? You haven't used that one in a while."  
Sanguine wiped his eyes, getting water off his face. "Fine. You asked for it."  
A huge red wolf stepped out of Colette's body, howling. On its head was a golden mask of some sort, covering most of its head but leaving enough space for a pair of tuftlike ears to fold out. Its paws and legs were black, and it had a fearsome set of claws with a pretty white manicure.  
**There, Susa. Now, where were we? Ah yes, I was going to crush you.** Sanguine licked his chops and raised a paw to swipe at him.  
Susa grinned. "You idiot..." he turned over and laughed.  
**What? What's so damn funny about my paw? It's black, and it has claws...stop laughing, you fool! Is it my nails? I like to have pretty nails before I kill someone...  
**Susa rolled over, trying to stop his laughing fit. "Behind you..." he managed, pointing.  
Sanguine spun around. **What? No...I had you all in a binding spell! And you can only undo a binding spell if you kill the caster!  
**Susa got up and dusted himself lightly. "Well, you became a spirit, technically you _are_ dead."  
Lloyd drew his swords and the rest took out their weapons.  
Sanguine backed up, surrounded. **Grrr...change of tactics!** He grabbed Colette in his mouth and leaped over their heads.  
"Come back here!" Lloyd yelled, running after him.  
Sanguine halted in front of a cliff overlooking the sea. **End of the line! Stop or I'll drop her!  
**Everyone froze.  
Genis went into his casting trance again, clutching his kendama and willing the spell to be "quiet". Sanguine, fortunately, didn't notice.  
Susa, however, felt the mana fluctuate around Genis' general area and stepped out of Sheena. Susa took the form of a wolf exactly the same as Sanguine was currently, but grey instead of the color of blood.  
Sheena stumbled over in a daze. "Whahappen...?"  
**Long story.** Susa helped her get up.  
"_Otherworldly spirit, god, or celestial being,_" Genis began.  
"_Ungrateful one who has forsaken his seal, his promise and the Holy One,_" Raine continued.  
A seal appeared around Sanguine and Susa. Sanguine swore and looked wildly about him, trying to find a way out.  
"_Return to the earth from whence you came!_" both spellcasters said at the same time.  
Sanguine yowled and flung Colette off the cliff before vanishing into the ground along with Susa.  
"Colette!" Lloyd screamed, jumping after her and barely grabbing her hand.  
"You fool, Lloyd!" Sheena cried, leaping and catching his feet. The rest followed suit in a similar fashion, forming a human chain that, if the situation wasn't so serious, would have been quite comic.  
"My poor hands," Zelos groaned, being the one at the top.  
"Hang on," Lloyd gasped, trying to get a better grip on Colette's hand.  
"Hurry up!" Zelos whined.  
"I'm hurry-upping!"  
Colette stirred, twitching. "What's going on...?" she looked down in a daze and shrieked, slipping from Lloyd's grasp.  
"Colette, no!"  
Her hand parted company with his, and she fell.  
Lloyd stood in shocked silence for a second, then turned the best he could to face Sheena. "Drop me."  
Sheena choked. "What?"  
"Drop me!"  
Sheena blinked, took a deep breath, and let go of him.  
"What's going on? I can't see!" Zelos complained.  
"Sheena, why? You've just condemned them both to a horrible and painful death!" the person holding her scolded, who was Genis.  
"'Condemn them to a painful death' my foot!" she snapped. "They'll live! I can feel it in my gut!"  
"You'd better bet your gut is right," the half-elf retorted. "or else you owe me a pair of new friends!"

Lloyd dived, feeling the rush of air against his body. _I'm surprisingly calm...is this that calm before someone dies?  
_He caught up to Colette and held her. "Colette, Colette, it's me," he whispered.  
She was motionless. Faintly, he could hear her heartbeat, so for sure she was alive.  
Lloyd wished fervently that a miracle would come waltzing around and save them. He cursed softly.  
He noticed his Exshpere shine with a radiance he'd never seen before. _It never acted up like this before...now it's glowing like a lovesick firefly.  
_It flashed, leaving Lloyd seeing false lights for a second. When he could see again, he was faintly aware of a pair of wings, like the ones Colette used to have, flowering out of his back.  
_These things are huge! I hope they can fly..._ He flapped them furiously. _Work, please! Fly, you clumsy, overgrown wings!  
_Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. They still fell.  
_Oh beautiful sea...aren't you are looking lovely today! Please don't hurt us...too much...  
_They hit the water with a sickening clap.  
Lloyd surfaced, coughing up water and some random fishes. "Colette? Where are you?"  
The girl seemed to have trouble floating, what with the extra weight of her wet wings and all that.  
Lloyd swam over to her and helped her stay on top of the water. "Are you alright?"  
_Are those tears? Or is it just the rain...?  
_Colette gasped. "You..."  
"What?"  
Colette shivered, sneezing. "You...you could have died! You hate me, don't you?" she choked, trying to speak but couldn't.  
Lloyd asked her to continue with his eyes. Maybe he felt particularly lazy at that moment..."  
You...said I was useless, that you hated every inch of me...you hate my guts, you left me to die in that pit of nothingness!"  
Lloyd wrapped his wings around her. "If I hated you, why would I risk my life for you?"  
Colette looked down and sniffled. "I...owe you something?"  
"No, you silly goose," Lloyd embraced her. "I don't hate you. I love you, Colette. And I always will."  
The girl was awfully silent, and Lloyd wondered if that was the right thing to do and wished he said nothing.  
"How could I have been so...daft?" she sobbed, embracing him back. "I'm sorry..."  
"Don't be."  
Colette wrapped her own wings around him. _I'm not alone...  
__You are never alone... _Lloyd wiped her tears away with a finger.  
By some twisted decision of fate, or maybe the ocean simply got fed up with them, a giant wave crashed upon the two, separating them. Lloyd looked frantically for Colette. A stream of bubbles from underneath him tipped him off.  
_Lloyd, save yourself!  
__No! I'm not leaving without you!  
_They held each other for what they thought was the last time. Lloyd's wings dimmed until they vanished completely, plunging them into darkness.  
Then, there was a diving noise, and a second pair of wings gave them light.  
  
Noishe looked up.  
(Whine?)  
Something was walking toward him.  
(Bark? Barkbarkbark)  
The Something waved a hand to silence him.  
Noishe waggled his tail and barked merrily. He recognized this person, and the sight of his face after nearly forever in Noishe time made him happy.  
"Noishe, keep it down..."  
Noishe obeyed and shut his mouth. His tail still swished.  
"Get them to the others for me." He draped the unconscious forms of Lloyd and Colette on Noishe.  
Noishe nodded and licked the Something's face. The Something pushed Noishe's face away from him, muttering about dog slobber.  
(Whine...?)  
"I can't come with you. Go now."  
Noishe whined and trotted away.  
He cast one last look at his son, sighed, and flew away.  
  
Genis lifted the tent flap a little. They still lay, like the day before. And the day before that, and the day before that one...  
He had half a mind to go up to them and smack them to see if that would work, when he saw Colette twitch.  
Genis gasped softly. Did he just imagine it? No, she was waking. He did a quiet mental dance.  
Lloyd made some sleepy noises and rolled over.  
"I'm so hungry I could eat enough to sink a dragon," Colette groaned.  
"I don't care. I could eat the darn dragon," Lloyd yawned.  
Genis smiled and left.  
"What's with that grin on your face?" Zelos asked.  
"They're awake," Genis stirred a pot of stew. "and they're complaining about food."  
There was a collective gasp.  
"Happy ending!" Sheena cried, hugging the nearest person, who happened to be Zelos. "I'm so glad!"  
_Hot damn! Am I dreaming?_ Zelos couldn't find anything to say and let Sheena hug him.  
Presea did a hopskip and tackleglomped Genis, who yelped but didn't protest.  
Raine observed the scene before her and cast a glace at Regal.  
"Don't even think about it."  
"Just in case you wanted it..."  
Colette snuggled closer to Lloyd. Yes, this was going to be a happy ending.

* * *

**The author's parting words (not really)**

Yah, feel free to yell at me and tell me how terrible that chapter was. Or how great it was. Either way works for me.

There will be one last chapter of Crimson, then an epilogue (of sorts). If I get off my lazy bum long enough, I might write a new one-shot that's been resting at the back of my head for a while. While you wait for that, review and enjoy what I've written.You can also check out my picture of Crimson I drew, by going to my bio on clicking on the homepage thingy. Yey.  
Ciao! (for now...dun dun dunn!)


	11. Filling in the holes

**Really short lame disclaimer skit thingy:  
**Urby: Tada! The last chapter of Crimson is...a prologue.  
Seldom: Wha? That makes no sense.  
Urby: Well, it aint a prologue, really...it just fills in a buncha holes. This chapter has major spoilers for the story and what. It talks about the two Crimson brothers.  
Sanguine: Roar, dood. I is scary and will eat 'chee all!  
Seldom: You realize people will be sending angry mobs after you for this?  
Urby: Why? I don't own anything and admit it freely.  
Seldom: You promised your fans an extra chapter...and you're giving them a "prologue". They're not gonna be very happy...  
Urby: Oh...flip, you're right.  
Seldom: And I'm one of them, so...I'm giving you five seconds to run.  
Urby: Ah, gawdflippers. Running!  
**Responses to reviews:  
****Green Magi:** Sanguine beat Susa mostly because Susa did absolutely diddly-squat except block. The elvish book (first mentioned in chapter five) had the sealing spell in it. Whether or not that was what they were looking for, you can decide for yourself. A hopskip is a cross between a hop and a skip. Figure out what a tackleglomp is from there. No, I am not insinuating any Raine/Regal of any kind. However did you get to _that_ conclusion? O.o (Raine/Regal doesn't even have a word. I mean, all my other pairings have words, like Colloyd and Gesea and Sheelos, but Raine and Regal...you just can't put together. It comes out funny.) And if it makes you happy, fine, Colette is a sort-of werewolf because of Crimson. Pleh.  
**Cute1:** Okay, it's nice you think my story is great. What is unacceptable, however, is how you put that "i HATE COLETTE WITH THE FIRE OF A THOUSAND SUNS!" Good lordy. Dood, first, capitalize the "I". And a whole mess of other letters. You should have learned that in grade school. Hopefully. Second, if you hate her so much, WHY THE GOD-FLIPPERS DID YOU READ THIS FIC? She is what, the most important main character innit? And I believe I made it clear it was going to be Colloyd and Sheelos? Yes? No? Maybe? (Oh gods, please don't tell me you're _that_ dense...) And so what if Presea is, like, 28 like you say? (I believe she is in her 30's.) Those years she was in this freaky emotionless coma-thing state, so they don't count. Take that! A review is a chance to express opinion, yes, but in a positive way to help or support the author. You know what I'm talking about. Why do you read these things if you're just gonna flame? It's childish, it's low, and it's sad. No, really, I'm serious. I think you need help. Do I go to Sheeloyd stories and say, "omfg this sux like your mom ohhh!"? No. That would be rude. "I am faster than a human and hungrier by far. But even I can talk and be reasonable." I may not really like their way of thinking, but hey, I can't stop them, so, so what. They have their opinion, I have mine. So, stop. Please. Else I will tell some of my close Gesea and Colloyd friends about what you're up to, and boy, they will not be happy campers. They recently got some new angry mob equipment and they need a volunteer (cough cough victim wheeze choke) to try it out on. (Seldom: And I got new cooking utensils! Urby's too fast for me to catch now.) As for the rest of you, you have been warned. Thank you.  
**Lil-Samuu:** Glad you liked it, dood. Heheh, I like using the word "Battle-squeak". 'Tis my battle cry. But that's something no one wants to know, eh? The idea for Crimson came while I was doodling, and I couldn't decide whether or not to have it red or grey, so I made one of each. Bwahaha, I'm so lazy.  
**PrincessSakura4:** Yes, all good things gotta end. Sad, aint it? Glad you like the picture, it took a while 'cuz my comp crashed in the middle and I had to do it over. But this isn't the end yet. There's still my epilogue thingy I just gotta upload. I wrote it out and what, but decided to wait 'till I was done with this.  
**Rainbow Phoenix:** (hands yew a tissue) Aww, dun cry, dood. My stories aren't worth crying over, they're worth laughing over. So laugh before I get mad. X3 Okay? Okay. I replied to your threat because it was my first one after doing so many myself. And I'm such a nitpicker when it comes to spelling, so that's why I felt pressured to point it out. It was painful to see it misspelled, but now it's all okay. Yey!

* * *

"Matthew, what do you want for dinner?"  
"Sp'ghetti."  
"Alright."  
Matthew doodled on his sketchpad. Drawing was one of the few things was one of the few things he enjoyed, and he was rather proud of this latest creation.  
"When I grow up, I'm gonna have my own Summon Spirit."  
"Really?" his mother asked, not turning away from her cooking.  
"Yeah. It'll be big and fierce. Look!"  
He showed his mother the drawing.  
"What...a lovely lion," she finally said.  
"Issnot a lion," Matthew frowned. "Issa big wolf. He goes around going 'Rar, rar!' No one tells him what to do."  
Matthew did some roaring impressions that sounded more like frantic squealing than anything else.  
His mother looked at the drawing, which had been left on the table. She could see it vaguely now, she'd mistaken a yellow..._thing_ on its head for a mane.  
"What does he eat?"  
Matthew stopped in thought. He hadn't paid attention to that detail. His creature had to eat something...but what?  
"Humans!" he squealed, promptly scribbling a stick figure in its mouth.  
"Now, now, Matthew. That's not very nice," his mother scolded.  
"Humans are evil!" he growled.  
"He looks lonely," his mother said quickly, changing the subject. "Make him a friend."  
Matthew doodled another "wolf" next to it.  
"This one looks skinny. He needs to eat more," Matthew decided, drawing a pile of bones next to it.  
"That's very nice. Go clean your room."  
"Noooo! The wolfies will do it for me!" Matthew protested.  
His mother led him out of the kitchen. "I thought you said they wouldn't do what anyone told them to."  
Matthew climbed up the stairs and stood there triumphantly. "They'll do what I say. I'm their master. And when I grow up, I don't want to be called Matthew anymore. Maybe something cool, like Mithos."  
  
"Raugh! I give up. This is too hard!" Sanguine threw the pencil across the room. "I'll never learn to write the language of mortals!"  
Susa sat quietly as his brother raved. "Well, I'm in my puppy form and I can write perfectly fine. If you try, you can do as well as I do."  
"Ah, shut it, Soos. Why am I learning this anyway?"  
"You said you were bored," Susa pointed out, taking a piece of scrap parchment and writing "loser" on it. He snickered. He knew he'd never have the courage to say it up front to his older, more powerful brother, but it felt good to write it. Susa crumpled it up and ate it.  
Sanguine bounded around the cold, dark room. "Raugh! Why can't I learn Angel or something simple?"  
Susa patted his brother, sighing. "Because I don't know Angel, and darn near no on else does. C'mon, one more time." He handed his fuming sibling a fresh pencil and paper.  
Sanguine growled and wrote something your mother wouldn't want you to know on it.  
Susa cringed. "Uhm...first, you're writing too fast. It's barely legible. Next, you're not using grammar correctly. See, it should be more like this..."  
"Aww, shut up!" Sanguine burst. "Forget it. You can do all my writing for me."  
Susa snorted. "Me? Do _your_ work, you lazy bum?"  
The seal holding the only door in the room vibrated, signaling a summoner..._requested _they come out. Mind you, it was a request and a request only. For all they cared, the two Summon Spirits could daftly ignore this plea for attention.  
However, this being the first summon they had had in centuries, both brothers were fighting to get out. Being locked in this "waiting room" was quite annoying, and any excuse to get out was a gift from the Goddess.  
"I wanna get the door. You can just shove off."  
"No, it's my turn! You can sit on your fluffy little butt and write or something."  
Finally, Sanguine's strength had won, and he shifted into a more intimidating Crimson form to accept the summoner's proposal.  
**Now, watch the expert do his thing. You could learn a thing or two.  
**Susa snorted. "Feh. Hurry up already. I'm waiting for my 'lesson', as you say."  
  
The summoner looked around, waiting impatiently. _I did it right, right?_  
A giant red wolf emerged from the seal, howling at the moon, which shone from a hole in the ceiling.  
**Foolish human! You have awakened-**  
"Not a human," the summoner interrupted.  
**Really? Uh...are you...an elf?**  
"No."  
**A Katz?**  
"No."  
**...Penguinist?**  
"No!"  
**Uhm...**  
The summoner sweatdropped. The sight of a glorious Summon Spirit being utterly confused was...a bit discouraging.  
**Foolish bipedal being! You have awakened the wrath of Crimson!**  
"Ah, get on with it," the summoner spat. "I don't have much time to waste."  
A similar ash-colored wolf seemingly existed next to the red one. Comparing the two, one would come to the conclusion that the red one was the more powerful, since it had a stockier build then its counterpart. The grey one seemed a bit more cunning, perhaps a bit more foxlike than wolflike.  
**Alright. Now that we are both here, tell us what we must do.** The grey one spoke without opening its mouth.  
The summoner pulled out a bubble, which swirled with infinite colors.  
**Pretty...** Sanguine drooled, mesmerized.  
**Phantasmagoric...** Susa said in the same manner.  
**How come you always have to say something smarter that I do?** Sanguine cuffed his brother.  
"Look!" the summoner barked.  
The colors in the bubble made up their mind about what and where they wanted to be, forming a moving picture.  
**These...must be those traveling heroes I sometimes hear the other Summon Spirits talk about...** Susa thought aloud.  
**Big whoop, they're walking. Bor-ing.** Sanguine scratched an ear, yawning.  
"See that swordsman, in red?"  
Both Crimsons nodded.  
**Blah, he has no taste in clothes.  
****Shut up, Soos.  
**"I want you to kill him," the summoner ordered.  
**A murder? Sweet, let's do it now!** Sanguine bounced up and down, looking nothing like the majestic spirit he should have been.  
"No!" the summoner shouted, quieting both of them. "I want you to do this in a specific way. You must 'bond' with one of his teammates. Let him suspect nothing. I want his death to be in total surprise, see?"  
Susa suddenly became extremely interested in one of his foreclaws. **But, well...the bonding process is a very trying thing for someone to go through. It's not unusual for the host to get sick, ya know, to a point where they've impossibly close to dying...fever that's so bad you can fry an egg on their forehead, host can't keep anything down, etcetera...that and we have to feed on blood and what to fully make use of their senses and construct a "link" that won't break. We'll need a lot of it, if we're going to kill this boy. Keeping a solid form takes a lot of mana and a stable link with the host.  
**Sanguine, being the naturally bloodthirsty one, spoke over his brother. **So, lemme get this straight. We sneak into the group, wait some time, and slay him with the body of one of his closest buddies? This is one of the more..._interesting_ requests I've seen. But...what if we refuse?  
**The summoner laughed. "Take a look at your seal."  
Sanguine turned. **Oooh, seal. I can just waltz in right now...ook!  
**He ran into a solid wall. **You...what did you do to it?  
**The summoner twirled the bubble on a finger. "You have to do as I say. You forged a pact with me."  
Sanguine growled.  
"But look at it this way. I'll give you permission to eat their emotions."  
Both Crimsons looked at each other.  
**Well, I'll be! That's the first summoner that knows we can eat emotions. Someone...wants us to have fun!  
****I like sad ones. They're so complicated, and that's what makes 'em tasty. The best kinds are the mourning kinds.  
****Yeah, yeah! Can we...cause emotions? Kill their family members and what?  
**"I don't care what you do with the rest of them. Pick your hosts already."  
Both Crimsons studied the bubble. Within it, a girl squeaked and tripped.  
**Oooh! Oooh! I want that one! **Sanguine screamed. **She looks stupid and innocent enough. No one will suspect a thing!  
**Susa seemed to be at a stalemate. **Uhm...I'll stick with Sanguine until I've made my decision. That ninja girl looks promising, but I'm not sure.  
**"Be my guest," the summoner smiled. "Just remember. The red swordsman. Do what you like with the others."  
**We won't come back 'till he's six feet under,** Sanguine vowed.  
"Perfect. Don't disappoint me." The summoner walked away.  
Sanguine and Susa returned to their regular forms, as it was more comfortable and less tiring.  
"Finally...a chance to unleash our **Symphonia of Destruction!**" Sanguine yelled.  
"Ah, Sanguine? It's 'symphony'." Susa sighed.  
"Is it really...? Okay, take two! Ahem...  
**Sympathy of Destruction!**"  
"Wrong again," Susa coughed.  
"Ah, screw it."  
Susa looked down at the ground.  
"Soos. It's just dirt. Big whoop."  
Susa lay silent. "Oh, well...just thinking. Is it really...a good thing to kill, even for our master?"  
Sanguine shrugged. "I dun wanna do it either. Sad for the kid, but it's gonna be sadder for us if we don't do it. Let's go, bro." 


End file.
